Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou:Volume 2

Novel Illustrations

These are the novel illustrations that were included in Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou Volume 2

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Chapter 1 – Before the Storm

Part 1

Above the swamp, earth, sand and dry leaves were piling up, Kazuki stepped onto the wet ground and ran towards the approaching enemy. From between the poisonous trees with violet trunks and leaves, Demon Beasts that looked like jelly-beans with brightly colored, slimy mucus——Slimes were approaching one after another to attack.

[Suppression of Demon Beasts that nested in the Haunted Ground]——That was the Quest that Kazuki and the others accepted.

A silver flash surged from the mouth of his scabbard, Kazuki drew his Iai towards the approaching blue slime in front of his eyes.

The slime that chilled the air was cut in half, but——the blue slimes immediately reattached and returned to how it was previously.

Kazuki's eyes opened wide because of the unknown enemy's mode of life. ...The sword was not effective against these things!

All at once the multi-colored slimes that were in Kazuki's way leaped toward him.

"The calling voice of the ruler of flame, liberate the rage deep inside the earth! Create the rampart of mine here...soaring on heaven and earth, isolate the impurity! Fire Wall!!"

However, Kazuki invoked Phoenix's Summoning Magic to assault the enemies. He chanted the spell while charging into the center of the enemies and waited for the right timing.

Together with flashes of light, fissures ran along the ground under Kazuki, and from there, a wall of flames burst out.

The slimes that attacked Kazuki were effortlessly swallowed by the wall of flames and were all evaporated at once.

The few slimes that managed to slip out of the flame walls attacked Kazuki, but he brushed them off with his katana. Thereupon, the dignified voice of the partner that supported Kazuki echoed from behind him.

"Scattered sparks of dancing wings! Lingering spiral wind, become life piercing bullet! Flap your wings and fire! Barrett!!"

Red lights lingered like wings from the stigma on her back as Mio invoked Barrett.

The flame bullet attacked the slime, and its body fused with the heat of the spell.

While Kazuki stepped back, he copied Mio by chanting Barrett and hit the slime.

"Kazukii! Hooray, we beat them with the same magic♪"

Mio's voice rose in excitement, and she clung to Kazuki's arm after scattering the enemy's group.

Although, until a little while ago, she was saying "How impertinent for someone like Kazuki to use the same magic···" Was it because of the exaltation in the battlefield? Mio was unusually honest and bold.

No, Mio seemed to not remember that time when she died. However, since Kazuki kissed and saved her, he had a feeling that her attitude had instantly softened.

...Was it because of the high positivity level of 120?

"Co-come on, don't let your mind wander in the middle of a quest!"

Because Mio's Magic Dress was highly revealing in the chest area that was pressed against him, embarrassed, Kazuki spontaneously uttered words of resistance. Mio made a face that was a little sulky.

"What? I properly watched our surroundings, and after that I took action you know. Bee~"

While clinging to his arm, Mio brought her face near Kazuki and stuck her tongue out at him. Even though her expression was one of cheekiness, Kazuki was strangely conscious of Mio's lips near his cheek.

At that moment, a voice rang out from the thicket in front of them, and a new group of slimes came to attack them both. Mio who had just said that she had already properly observed the surrounding area, reacted quickly and sprung up just like she said, turning to Kazuki's rear——the swordsman protected the Summoning MagicianMagika Stigma, Heaven and Earth Formation.

"Barrett!" "Fire Wall!"

The flame wall of the vanguard, Kazuki, and the fire bullet from the rear guard, Mio, reduced the interweaving bunch of slimes to ashes. ——No, wait a second, what was that!?

A crimson slime flew out from inside the flames. ...Was it resistant to heat!?

Somehow this Demon Beast Slime appeared to have its own attribute based on the color.

Kazuki immediately leaped and cut the slime that gradually released heat. Because of the slash, the slime scattered in pieces. However the pieces slipped past Kazuki.

"Damn it!"

"Kyaaa! What is this!?"

The scattered slime became a spray of red mucus and incessantly rained on Mio.

Flustered, Mio tried to clear the mucus that fell onto her body and magic dress. However, the already revealing dress immediately started to melt where the slimy mucus made contact.

"No way! The, the clothes are melting!!"

——If the Magic Dress that supplemented the spell chanting was not there, the battle potential of the Magika Stigma would be reduced by half.

Because the magic dress was created by magic power, it could be regenerated if the user requested the Diva to fix it, but...for Mio it was just not possible. She crouched down to try to hide her exposed skin.

From the swamp behind Mio who currently crouched down——the cylindrical shapes of tentacles leaped out.

A Demon Beast different from the slimes! Was it waiting for an opportunity like the one just now!?

They were just Demon Beasts, and yet they matched their breath superbly and performed combination attacks.

The slimy tentacles entangled the mostly naked Mio.

Just like wrenching open flower petals, the tentacles twined around and pulled Mio's limbs, exposing what should be hidden. The girl's face flushed bright red in unbelievable shame.

"No way no way, don't look, Kazuki! I will do something on my own so don't come here!!"

Mio shouted at Kazuki with a tearful, panicky voice as he moved to help. However, a shadow floated up in the muddy water surface. The owner of the tentacle's real body was now on the verge of surfacing.

"Is this the time to say that kind of thing!? You are going to be eaten!!"

Kazuki drew his Iai and severed the tentacles in one go. What kind of aquatic creature was it that lurked inside the swamp? It was unknown, but the tentacles could be cut as opposed to the slimes.

As Mio fell from the severed tentacles, Kazuki caught and carried her like a princess.

But the problem was that, currently, they didn't have any means to defeat the red slime.

The mission was to defeat the Demon Beasts, but if they didn't escape from here somehow...!

"...Nihility of ancient times, the nothingness residing inside this heart, become the freezing breath. The streaming silence of rejection, freeze and be silent···Glacier Wind!!"

A chilly wind blew from next to Kazuki. That was the breath of a mermaid. The red slime that assaulted him was frozen in the blink of an eye by the wind. ——Ice attribute summoning magic!

"Hiakari-san!? ...Thank you! So you came to save us!"

Turning around, there was the mystical classmate clad in magic dress that resembled a white leotard. Hiakari Koyuki was standing there without a hint of expression.

Her attitude toward Kazuki was sharply aloof, identical with her sharp ears that was the characteristic of an elf.

"When I thought that we received the same quest by chance...this is a totally shameful sight, isn't it? You are only a hindrance if you can't fight already, how about you just go back home."

After her gazed briefly fell on the nude Mio, Koyuki briskly turned her back to Kazuki.

"...Hiakari-san, be careful of the blue slimes!"

Similar to the red slimes that radiated heat, the blue slimes radiated chilly air.

That was why there was no doubt that the blue slimes had strong resistance against cold.

Koyuki's ear twitched at hearing Kazuki's warning, but without even glancing back, her figure disappeared between the strange trees that grew wildly inside this Haunted Ground.

"...No choice then, let's return to the academy for the moment, Mio."

Kazuki spoke with Mio as she clung to his arm. All of this was the swordsman's responsibility because he couldn't protect the rearguard.

"...Kazu-niii" said in a drowsy, sweet voice as she was carried nude in Kazuki's arms.

"Mio? Now that I think about it, are you fine after being attacked by a slime like that?"

"Kazu-nii...my chest is hot. My body, my chest, and stomach are itching..."

Mio hugged Kazuki tightly. Somehow her condition seemed strange.

While not knowing where to look, Kazuki peeked at Mio's face. Her face was flushed red like she had a cold, her eyes were intoxicated like they saw a hallucination, and rough, panting breath escaped from her half-opened lips.

...Perhaps it was because of the hot liquid from before!

That liquid melted the magic dress. Magic dresses were created from magic power, namely the force of will. If that was melted then——that liquid was a poison that influenced the mind!

No wait, rather than poison, this liquid was...a type of sake and aphrodisiac...

"Kazu-nii...I love you! I love you I love you, I love you so much!! Hug me more!!"

Heart marks scattered around, Mio pushed her bare-naked breasts against him, and her legs coiled around. A sweet scent resembling milk drifted in the air. Her sighs hitting Kazuki's neck were hot and amorous.

This is bad. This situation is very bad! ...If we don't escape to a place where there are no Demon Beasts and people then...!

Her sanity should return after a short while, and then she could reform her magic dress.

...If I don't preserve my reasoning until that time, then in this strange situation, towards Mio, I will...!

"I am the swordsman of Hayashizaki style! No way I'll lose to this kind of temptation!!"

While shouting 'UOOOOOO!' Kazuki ran through the forest carrying the soft body of Mio.

Part 2

Going back three hours before——

"Traveling in a train like this, somehow it feels like a trip, doesn't it~"

Kazuki and Mio, both of them wearing their uniform, sat side by side inside the magic light train.

"Don't get too relaxed, okay? The quest will have actual combat you know."

Kazuki made a bitter expression aimed toward the partner who wasn't nervous at all on their first quest.

Though having said that, it's not like Kazuki didn't understand what Mio said. Today was the start of Golden Week, it had been one month since he enrolled. The pleasantly warm breeze of the late spring season poured in from the window, repeatedly blowing the nape of their neck.

"Kazuki also shares this mood, right? Waking up early in the morning and making onigiri. What are the ingredients?"

"This is just preparation in case the quest turned out to take a long time, you know!? Canned tuna and salted salmon roe."

"My favorite dish from a long time ago. So you remember!"

Mio's face was bursting with a smile along with a heart mark that came flying toward Kazuki.

That heart mark was sucked into Kazuki's magic dress, the <Solomon Ring>.

This ring received the change of the affection levels of other people and had the power to measure them.

In the span of one month since meeting with his former childhood friend, her affection level had thoroughly gone up.

Mio restlessly looked around their surroundings to confirm there were no other passengers.

"Kazu-nii, wake me up when we arrive~"

Mio approached and leaned her head to Kazuki's shoulder.

"Are you intending to sleep before fighting!?" As expected, Kazuki was surprised.

"It's okay, I'm not really sleeping. I just want to do this..."

While saying that, Mio clutched Kazuki's hand by entwining their fingers together. 'gatangoton' Within the vibration of the train's movement, Kazuki stayed silent while feeling the warmth of Mio's body.

Humankind obtained the power of magic and met with the residents of a parallel dimension who were called Diva.

——Thereupon an outbreak of phenomenon called <CancerExtraordinary Malignant Spot> happened.

Tearing off the world, from there the magic power of the parallel world, Distorted WorldAstrum, spilled over. The spilled magic power transformed into the form of Demon Beasts and spirits. Demon Beasts attacked humans, and the surrounding space where the Demon Beasts gathered was polluted by magic power and became the Demon Beasts' soil where humans couldn't live——the Haunted Ground.

The defense organization that protected Japan's public order, the Knight Order, had three main duties, [Defense against the invasion of other country], [Suppression of illegal magician], and [Subjugation of Demon Beasts · liberation of Haunted Ground].

Because of the frequent terror attacks against the Knight Order performed by a group of illegal magicians called [Loki's Einherjar], led by Loki of Norse Mythology, the Knight Order didn't have enough hands to perform their original duty.

To compensate for that, the knight training academy that Hayashizaki Kazuki attended——The National Knight Academy <Caryatid>, gave the work that the Knight Order couldn't finish to the students in the form of a quest.

The students formed parties and challenged the quest in place of the Knight Order.

The Haunted Ground's location was a few minutes walk from the station.

The Haunted Ground's surrounding was covered by a fence, and the civilians were prohibited from entering.

Demon Beasts instinctively attacked humans. However, Demon Beasts couldn't come out into the surrounding space that hadn't been transformed into a Haunted Ground. They mostly took defensive stances and only attacked humans that invaded the Haunted Ground.

Haunted Grounds became the production base of Demon Beasts. It further encroached the surrounding area because of the Demon Beasts' propagation and kept expanding.

Inevitably, the people that originally lived on the soil that became a Haunted Ground were evacuated.

Consequently, the longer the Haunted Ground was left alone, the harder it would be to control the situation.

The dispatching of the Knight Order prioritized urban areas at any cost while forest and mountain Haunted Grounds were lower priority and tend to be distributed as quests for Knight Academy's students.

Kazuki and Mio headed for the gate that served as the only entrance for the Haunted Ground. Old personEx-knight was standing guard at the gate to inspect the people that tried to enter the Haunted Ground.

"We were dispatched from the Knight Academy, please allow us to enter."

"...Cheh, the academy brats huh. Moreover, only two came."

The guard spat out in a whisper and started the processing of Kazuki and Mio's entry.

"Why doesn't the Knight Order come here themselves, they are making light of the refugees here. ...Then I'll start the scan, so let your magic power flow into your Stigma until it shines. Hm? What is this stigma?"

The guard put his hand and scanned the magic light of the stigma at the back of Kazuki's hand with the <Scanner Device>. Next, Mio's stigma was also scanned by peeking at her neck from behind.

Thereupon, the device compared the data that had arrived from the quest counter of the academy, and confirmed that Kazuki and Mio were the appointed people of an official quest.

"You're not a mere swordsman, it became a hot topic some time ago, someone who received an Enigma despite being a man. Although, as expected, your magic power seems to be low compared to the woman huh. Don't overdo yourself to where it becomes a situation where we need to call reinforcements, okay?"

After seeing off Kazuki and Mio, the guard entered the gate's post, Mio pulled her eyelid down and stuck out her tongue.

"What is that, saying things like 'just a student' or 'just a man', making fools of us! When Kazuki and I unite, we are unrivaled! Starting from now is the beginning of the legend of me and Kazuki!!"

"...Mio, saying things like 'unrivaled' or 'legend', however you meant it, only sound like failure flags."

"Why are you saying things like that~!!"

While advancing forward with Mio repeatedly hitting Kazuki, the scenery gradually changed into strange and crooked things. It was a country road that could exist anywhere, but it turned into wetlands filled with moisture, and the surrounding trees' colors changed into poisonous colors. The Demon Beasts' presences were starting to drift around in the surroundings.

...And then, three hours later, Mio's flag splendidly became reality.

Part 3

Sitting next to Kazuki while on their way home in the train, Mio cast her eyes down in shame while blushing a bright red.

"...Hey, how much did you see...?"

How much, was it? It is about the matter with the mucus and tentacles from earlier wasn't it?

"I swear I didn't see much. The tentacles were in the way."

"Af, after that, I was naked for quite a while, right!? Though I don't remember it well..."

"After that, I didn't look at your body. At the time, I was obviously in the middle of fighting you know."

"...Then Kazuki, you really don't have any interest in me after all?"

Mio glared at Kazuki with sulking eyes. Why did it become like this...?

"Talking about that, what was up with your condition?"

Was it something like an aphrodisiac that manipulated the mind, or was it like drinking alcohol and then losing all restraint and being merry like a drunk——which one was it? Mio's face became increasingly bright red because of Kazuki's inquiry.

"Don't remember, I don't remember! I don't remember anything at all!"

"As expected, a two man party might be too difficult."

Kazuki changed the topic, and Mio, taken aback, raised her head.

"I don't wanna. I don't want a strange person added to my party with Kazuki!!"

"But... with only us at the moment, the breadth of our tactics is far too narrow."

The current Kazuki and Mio——cannot use an attack magic other than of the flame element. Like today, if they encounter enemies that have a resistance toward flames and heat, then a hard fight would be inevitable.

But with a resolute expression Mio shook her head.

"It's fine! I... will become even stronger for sure!! To the extent that we won't ever need any other people!!"

Kazuki had a feeling that it was not a problem that could be solved simply by growing strong. But as Mio grasped his hand and stared at him hard with upturned eyes, Kazuki lost his words and couldn't say anything.

...However, if I could use a lot more magic, then this problem would be settled.

Kazuki's contracted Diva——Solomon's small keyLemegeton was a unique Diva who had the [Power of the King] to control Solomon's 72 Pillars.

That skill was the ability to be able to use all 10 of the characteristic magics owned by the other Divas of Solomon's 72 Pillars. In contrast with normal Divas that could only use 10 varieties of magic, Lemegeton could use at maximum 720 different types of magic. The problem of not having enough variety would become irrelevant, an extraordinary existence.

But that ability had conditions. If Kazuki couldn't make other Magika Stigma users fall in love with him, then he wouldn't be able to use that ability. Currently, Kazuki could use the same summoning magic of [Phoenix] like Mio, because he was able to make the contractor of Phoenix, Mio, fall for him.

He could also use two of Kaguya senpai's summoning spells, but... they were not magic really suitable for quests.

I wanted to become strong and protect Mio. But to achieve that, then with another girl I'd need to...

Subconsciously, Kazuki poured magic power into Solomon's ring, and magic light vision floated in front of his eyes. A graph of the girls' positivity levels that only he could see was projected there.

The graphs that extended horizontally, like they were competing before one's eyes, were also provided along with a number.

Amasaki Mio——124 Otonashi Kaguya——75 Hiakari Koyuki——46 Hoshikaze Hikaru——39

Mio was staying motionless and quiet, and before long the magic light train stopped at the station in front of the knight academy.

——Like that, the first quest that the two individuals had challenged during Golden Week, was over without any result.

Part 4

"Amasaki Mio will fall into rank B for sure if she keeps this up."

When the first school day after Golden Week ended—— Kazuki was called to the staff room. There, the home-room teacher, Liz Liza Westwood, spouted a shocking sentence out of the blue.

"Eh?" Liz Liza-sensei who had a figure that looked like a child's, continued with her strict words toward Kazuki, who leaked out an idiotic voice.

"Losing to an E rank like you was already fatal. Then, after that, she failed a quest, so her evaluation has dropped drastically. If she keeps this up she will be demoted to rank B."

"Ple——please wait a second! Certainly she hasn't shown results yet, but it's obvious her true power is one of the best compared to her surroundings, right!?"

"There are also other students who grew by a remarkable amount. Chances must be given equally."

First year students who were evaluated as [rank A] at the academy could stay in the dedicated dormitory for the student council, [Witch's Mansion], as a privilege. There, they could receive an introduction to magic from the senpais in the student council.

Being demoted from rank A to rank B means eviction from the Witch's Mansion.

Kazuki was rank E, but because of the special circumstance of being contracted with a mysterious Diva, he could live in the Witch's Mansion so the student council president could safeguard (while monitoring) him.

Mio wouldn't be in Witch's Mansion anymore even though they were finally getting along again like in the old times.

"Right now with Loki acting violently, the situation is that the students have to quickly complete quests. Real ability that cannot produce any results cannot be valued. Even if she is an A rank, if she is slacking off, being demoted might fire her up."

Loki attacked the branches of the Knight Order in the whole country every few days, but before any real counterattack began, they only fought a little and escaped immediately. It was as though they were just ridiculing the opponent.

It seems there was still nothing that resulted in death, but it became so that the Knight Order needed to be constantly vigilant against attacks. At the same time, the investigation for Loki's hiding location must also be done.

Like that, the duties that were neglected by the knights were distributed to the students as quests.

Originally the quest system was intended for the students' personal learning experience, however in the current emergency situation, they were completely regarded as precious war potential.

Because there was strong opposition from society regarding the coercion of students into actual battle, the quests even now was formally a practical class that students accepted voluntarily, but—— rank A students like Mio were constantly under untold amounts of heavy pressure and expectations to produce results.

"...But Mio is not slacking off at all!"

Every morning since forming a party with Kazuki, Mio had always stealthily performed magic training as if to hide it from him——though Kazuki, who was very sensitive towards any magic power outbreak, noticed it immediately.

"It's because an E rank like me dragged her down."

"Fuhn, my eyes are not so blind that I still think your real ability is the same as your current rank."

"...Why was this matter not spoken of to the person herself, but instead, to me?"

"Both of you are in a two-man party, aren't you? If you think that girl's evaluation is undeserved then you have to support your team mate."

If I could support her then I wanted to do so. I really wanted to do that, but for that to happen...

"The quickest and easiest way for me is to add Hiakari Koyuki to your party, I also thought that if you can use that chance to become closer with her, then it will be two birds with one stone."

A glint of light appeared in Liz Liza-sensei's eyes. Liz Liza-sensei also knew about Leme's special characteristics.

Maybe that's the real reason she called me here.

"...Neither Mio nor Hiakari-san will agree to form a party together though."

"Fuhn, it's evident that your sense of danger is not enough that you're being so particular about this. ...By the way, this is a completely different topic, but in the case that you became friendly with a magician that has a contract with a Diva other than Solomon's 72 Pillars, what would happen? Can you also draw the ability from that Diva?"

Liz Liza sensei asked about a topic that really had no relation at all with the topic until now.

Lemegeton materialized besides Kazuki.

She was a completely nude little girl the first time she appeared in front of Kazuki, but as her power returned little by little, her stature has already grew to about an elementary student's size, and a one-piece tunic covered her body.

With Leme regaining her power due to Kazuki's friendlier relations with various girls, her original form was also slowly returning. It was a wonder what kind of form her original appearance was as a Diva.

"With Divas other than Solomon's 72 Pillars, as long as the other party has the will to cooperate with Leme, then Leme can draw that Diva's characteristic magic you know-. However, it's a considerably rare case for such Divas of other mythologies to cooperate with Leme though-. Fundamentally, the relations between mythologies are running counter with each other."

"Hmm, is that so?"

While looking down, Liz Liza-sensei whispered 'Is there any worth in testing this...'

Testing? ...In Japan, contracting with Divas other than Solomon's 72 Pillars was illegal. There should be no chance of getting along with illegal magicians, but...

"Understood. It's okay for you to go back now." Liz Liza-sensei waved her hand like she was chasing Kazuki out.

An unexpected character was waiting for Kazuki when he came out of the staff room.

"Kazuki, did you mess up something that required you getting called by sensei? ...mugu."

Because of her small build, Kazuki didn't see her, and that character's face collided with Kazuki's chest and leaked that 'mugu' voice. Even though that kind of voice was still said coolly...

"Hiakari-san!? ...Are you okay?"

Kazuki supported the girl's shoulder in panic, though the girl said "I'm fine" and shook off his hand.

"Rather than that, please don't ignore my question. Why were you called?"

"Aaa——that was... Because of the failed quest yesterday, Liz Liza-sensei came to give a warning that if our evaluation keeps declining like this, it will be serious trouble. It's because I'm an E rank you see."

Kazuki immediately explained while avoiding Mio's matter. Koyuki's expression 'mu' became stiff hearing that.

"...It's unreasonable isn't it? Kazuki had won in a duel against an A rank, so failing a quest just once shouldn't make your evaluation drop."

"Is Hiakari-san worried about my problem?"

When Kazuki started heading to the Witch's Mansion, the girl also walked alongside him.

"It's not that. It's not worry or anything. I don't care whatever happened to you. It's just, I wanted to give my thanks where there is nobody else... If it's not now, whether it be Amasaki-san, or the president, or little sister-san, somebody will be around you."

The girl said thank you and bowed her head.

"...By any chance, is it about the slime's attribute during yesterday's quest?"

"Yes. Thanks to that I could successfully complete the quest. If not for Kazuki's advice, I'd have lost my composure when I found out about the blue slime's resistance to cold and might have fallen into a predicament."

Yesterday's quest was about holding back the encroachment of the Haunting Ground in western Tokyo's forest.

Koyuki annihilating all the Demon Beasts that lived in that Haunted Ground——did not happen, it seems exterminating one area of the Demon Beasts and liberating the area part by part was already considered as a success.

If there were no Demon Beasts in the Haunted Ground, then the plot of land would return to how it was originally. Poisonous plants grew densely and that Haunted Ground became marshland, but if the Demon Beasts were all gone then it should return back to the original forest.

"But how did Hiakari-san defeat the slime that had strong resistance against ice Summoning Magic?"

"My contracted Diva, Vepar, rules over cold and water. I suffocated it to death by water magic."

"...Eh? Do slimes need to breath? Was it foaming inside the water?"

"I tested it while half in doubt... but it died. I don't think it had an organ for breathing like a mouth or lung, so perhaps it breathes by using the surface of the cell. And then it was a living thing that resided on land, so I thought that it didn't have any structure to take oxygen from the water. Just like an earthworm that can breath through its skin inside the earth, but it died by suffocation on the asphalt."

If you think about it, as long as it was a living thing, except in a few cases, then it should need oxygen for its activity. Even though the Demon Beasts were the residents of a fantasy world, there were many things that had similar motif with the real world, like dragons that closely resembled a lizard.

Demon Beasts' ecology and traits were still not understood.

But when we challenge quests from now on, there was no doubt that we would need to observe unknown Demon Beasts calmly and experiment with various elements, magic, and fighting styles.

Mio and I couldn't do that——the girl in front of me could.

"...As I thought Hiakari-san, won't you join our party?"

Koyuki sullenly knitted her eyebrows toward Kazuki's proposal.

"Because you failed the quest and fell into a pinch, you want me to lend you some help?"

"Sorry, frankly I'm weak. Besides, this time Hiakari-san was mostly okay, but even so, going solo is dangerous. I think it's better to team up with someone even if not with us."

"Weak? You are not weak. Rather isn't it Amasaki-san, who lost in a duel against you, that is weak? For example... as it is that girl will be demoted to rank B, won't she?"

Koyuki took a deep breath and spoke, which startled Kazuki, like she had seen through everything.

"I think if I join you two because you are the one that is in danger, then Amasaki-san will be able to accept it, but if it's because she herself that is in danger then... I think she will reject it resolutely you know. She has a lot of pride, and she also hates me."

"Certainly that girl has a lot of pride, but... she doesn't hate you, you know."

"She really hates me though. She opposes me in every single thing."

"That's not it, Mio said 'I don't want a strange guy added to the party!'. In short that means, if it's not a strange person then it's okay to add them to the party, and since Hiakari-san is not a strange person, it's all okay!"

"...What the heck was that? That logic you gave was really pushing it. I am a plenty strange girl."

"Hiakari-san is not someone strange at all. You are an extremely kind person, aren't you? When I was made fun of during the class introduction because I said that my special skill was swordsmanship, you said that the sword is not worthless and gave me some encouragement. Those few words really saved me. Even when I was friendless in the class, only you were impartial regarding me. you are a girl that is fair and hates discrimination and bullying. I feel respect towards that kindness and strength."

"Wha——what are you saying..."

Koyuki's expressionless face became stiff, and Kazuki started to talk passionately while tightly gripping his fist.

"Besides that, you also have calm judgement, and there were already many times when Hiakari-san saved me from a tight spot. Kind, strong, and cool, there is no way a girl this reliable exists."

"That is... my only worth involves magic battles, that's why..."

"Hiakari-san is too humble, saying that kind of thing so quickly. But every time I was doing some housework, Hiakari-san always watched me patiently and said 'Thank you' honestly. Even though Hiakari-san disliked it when I invited you to do the housework together. For me, every time I did some housework, I was thinking that I want to see Hiakari-san's delight. Hiakari-san shows a cold attitude, but in truth you are a warm person."

"Tha——that was because of my incompetence, that I gave you some trouble so..."

Hiakari-san blushed red as she looked downward. A heart mark flew from her chest.

"...Certainly Hiakari-san is unsociable, so maybe there are some misunderstandings with the surrounding people. However, I'm absolutely not overlooking Hiakari-san's charms! If Mio doesn't notice Hiakari-san's charm, then I will keep talking to her to make her understand how good a person Hiakari-san is!! Yosh, I'll immediately start the campaign to show Hiakari-san's charm from now on!!"

"...Ple——please stop. Don't campaign like that!"

Koyuki gripped and pulled back Kazuki's sleeve and her voice rose, which was unusual for her. A small skull mark that look like a speck floated from her chest. That was a proof that her positivity level dropped a little.

Koyuki released 'haa' a long breath, and said "What a person, that can't be helped huh."

"Are you an idiot? That talk just now, if you said that to Amasaki-san it would have an opposite effect you know."

"Why? I thought that Mio would properly understand Hiakari-san's charm though."

"She wouldn't want to hear that kind of thing from your mouth... you really are a person that doesn't understand a girl's heart. Somehow it makes me angry..."

In the mean time they had arrived at the Witch's mansion and stopped in the garden.

The door opened, and Mio came flying out from the living room.

"Kazuki! Welcome home, where did you go just now... eh, Hiakari...!"

When she noticed Koyuki beside Kazuki, Mio quickly stopped and glared at Koyuki.

Toward that look, with a disinterested voice Koyuki announced.

"Amasaki Mio, I challenge you to a duel."

Kazuki and Mio froze because of those unexpected words. They didn't understand what that meant.

"You, who lost a duel against a rank E and exposed unsightly, disgraceful behavior during a quest will be demoted to rank B if you keep this up. If that happens then you won't be able to stay here."

"I, I will be B rank!? And then... from this place..."

"Hiakari-san! Why are you saying that!?"

Kazuki, whose complexion changed, pressed the question, but Koyuki suddenly glared back at Kazuki.

"I refused your invitation, it was troublesome. Annoying. Besides... Besides if the person herself didn't have any real ability and she got dropped into a suitable rank, isn't that for her own good? A person without any real strength that keeps insisting she is a rank A is unsightly. I will hand the requiem to such a person."

Koyuki announced to Mio, who was still frozen in shock, with an absolute zero gaze.

"...Amasaki Mio. If you lose to me then you will be demoted to rank B immediately. So, will you accept my duel challenge? ...I don't mind even if you turn tail and run though."

In a flash, Mio's prideful expression turned red with rage.

"There... There is no way that I'll run, right!? Before, it was the rank E Kazuki who challenged me to a duel, and now it is you who is challenging me... Bring it on!"

Far from turning tail, Mio pointed her finger at Koyuki with her twin tails shaking.

"I'll finish you quick and easy, and prove that I am an appropriate A rank for sure!!"

Certainly if Mio fought equally or more against Koyuki whose rank was A, Mio might be able to prove that demotion to rank B is not appropriate for her. However...

"Please wait, calm down! If you lose you won't be able to stay here you know!?"

"Shut up, Kazuki!"

"...Then please wait outside. I'll call senpai and sensei so that they can become the witnesses needed for the duel."

Koyuki slipped from the side of Mio, whose blood had risen to her head, and climbed the stairs.

"...Kaguya-senpai, why did you acknowledge this kind of duel?"

The students of Knight Academy could perform duels under the presence of the student council.

A duel was a mock battle performed under a safe rule, where if each side's magic power were reduced to zero then the attacks are stopped. Acknowledgement was needed from the student council president for the execution of the duel.

The student council president of MagikaMagic Division—— Kaguya-senpai, if it was her I thought she would stop this quarrel.

"Nnn... because when I heard the circumstances, I thought this was for the best?"

"So you think that using the principle of strength to decide right and wrong is the best... right?"

Fundamentally senpai was kind, but she also had an aspect where she was a person with a strict principle of strength.

"That's not it... maa, let's just see what will happen, ok? Come on, it's starting."

Kaguya-senpai pointed at the center of the ground. Over there were—— Mio and Koyuki facing each other with a distance of 50 meters between them according to the custom. The referee standing between them was Hoshikaze-senpai.

Kazuki, Liz Liza-sensei, and others were attending in the guest seats that surrounded the ground.

"...Amasaki Mio had made up her mind, huh. But to show whether she has the strength as a rank A or not, certainly this is the easiest method to understand that."

That was what sensei said. Because this duel was performed so suddenly, there were no other curious students that were watching.

"Shem ha-MephorashI know thy name ...Thy name is [Phoenix] ...Namely a poet, transform into a magician! Poetic bird toying with logic with its sweet tongue, show thy strength in accordance with my life!"

"Shem ha-MephorashI know thy name ...Thy name is [Vepar] ...Mermaid singer imparting icy thoughts, shed drops of tears of sadness in this world."

Both of them performed AccessAstrum Connection at the same time. Mio was wrapped with an orange magic power's light while the wing stigmata floated up on her back, her figure materialized a red magic dress.

Koyuki was emitting blue light while scale shaped stigmata floated up on both her thighs, her body was wrapped in a white magic dress. Kazuki's breath was taken away, he was instinctively pressured by the figures of the two confronting each other.

——Duel of fellow Magika Stigma. If he thought about it, this was the first time Kazuki watched this kind of thing.

Their specialties respectively were, flame magic used by Mio, and ice magic used by Koyuki.

"Well then... Begin!" With that cry, Hoshikaze-senpai pulled the trigger for the start of the duel.

Both Mio and Koyuki emitted their magic power's light at the same time and began the chanting of their spell.

The one who finished her chant first was—— Koyuki. An avatar of a mermaid floated on her back.

"Glacier Wind!"

Chilly winds blew across the fifty meter distance. Mio who was concentrating on her spell's chant couldn't defend against that, but her defensive magic power protected her body from the chill.

Defensive magic power—— the body couldn't be inflicted with injury, but in exchange a large amount of magic power was exhausted.

However, Mio's concentration was not interrupted, and she retaliated with her magic one move later.

"...Barrett!!"

This time Koyuki was hit by the familiar bullet of flame. The blue light of the defensive magic power scattered around Koyuki as well.

"First was confirming each other's chanting speed using the level 1 offense summoning magic. If it were swordsmen, then it's like confirming each other's range. ...The fight will start from here."

Kaguya-senpai whispered from Kazuki's side.

Koyuki's side was faster in spell chanting speed. In other words—— the receiver side would be Mio.

"Kuh. ...Burn out all that were touched. ...No person to depend on, scorching heat of denial! Repelling Flame ArmorSelf Burning!"

Mio first solidified her defense and chanted defense magic. Her whole body was covered with a flame armor.

To activate a spell, first the magician needed to request for the magic phenomenon from the Diva in Astrum using Programmingimperative statement.

Because the target of defense magic like Self Burning was their own body, the time needed to transmit the Targetingcoordinate designation to the Diva could be omitted, thus, the spell could be invoked quickly.

"...Divine protection of mermaid, halt the advance of the hateful enemy, expedite the advance of the chosen person... Run oh ice blade! Skating Rink Grand DancingMoves in the Field!"

Koyuki also finished chanting her spell—— cold air was starting to spread from under the girl's foot and, in the blink of an eye, the ground had been frozen. Mio carelessly tried to move and her foot slipped.

On the other hand, by using cold air Koyuki created ice shoes with edges attached on both her feet similar to skating shoes, she sped up and slid across the fifty meter distance in one go.

"Does Hiakari-san plan to enter close combat!?"

As might be expected from someone who fights solo, it seems her Vepar was an all-purpose Diva.

Koyuki approached Mio who couldn't move her body and performed a dance-like jump. ——Her visible white leotard coupled with her magic dress, it was as though the performance of a figure skater had begun.

And then while Koyuki spun in the air, a sharp kick using the edges of the ice shoes visited Mio. The slash of the sharp ice managed to pierce the flame armor.

However the instant Koyuki's kick landed, Mio concentrated the fire that enveloped her whole body to one spot using psychokinesis. Koyuki's kick was unexpectedly swallowed inside the fiercely growing fire.

The ice shoes evaporated inside the highly concentrated flames, making Koyuki's kick powerless.

"——!?" Koyuki's eyes opened in surprise because of the practical skill Mio had shown using common magic.

And then the moment Koyuki put icing on her foot again——Mio read that timing and shifted to attack.

"Flame Emperor FoundingFire Wall!"

Fissures ran along the ground that Koyuki froze under her feet, and from there flames blew up.

"Singing voice of mermaid, manifest the frozen thought! Sorrow turn into ice flower, solitude turn into light snow... cover the world in cold nothingness!! Silent Pure WhiteWhite Album!!"

However, Koyuki too was already chanting a different large-scale spell as she skated on the iced surface.

Koyuki's and Mio's surroundings were repainted with a different kind of space. It became the world of a winter blizzard.

In the area covered with the cold——the flame wall that blew up from under Koyuki, the flame armor covering Mio's whole body, everything was banished by the cold.

The alternate space that Koyuki produced had also used up its energy, and the surrounding returned to the normal space.

But an ice shoe was still on one of Koyuki's feet.

"Fuh!" Using a surprisingly beautiful form, Koyuki released a high kick that hunted for the neck. Drawing a silver line resembling an Iai's slash, the ice edge ripped apart Mio's magic power.

A splendid arching kick pursued Mio who staggered powerlessly from the impact of her smashed magic power.

"Miooo!!"

"Otouto-kun, so you lost your cool if it was about Mio-chan, huh... I might be a little jealous."

Kaguya-senpai smiled bitterly beside Kazuki.

"You see, even while Mio-chan was taking damage, she still continued to chant a different spell."

Kazuki sharpened his senses and finally saw. Mio, who looked like she was at her wit's end from the kick... from her, waves of magic power could certainly be felt. And then—— an explosion happened all of sudden.

"Maybe Otouto-kun values Mio-chan so much that you underestimate her. You consider her as someone you have to protect at all costs... certainly, Koyuki-chan is superior with the amount of her innate magic power, but even with that, both of them are—— equal."

"Immortal bird soaring from dusk to dawn, grant that wing of hope on my back! Destruction for the sake of rebirth, here! Ash Ember Ending in Crimson WingBlazing Wings!"

Mio chanted the spell in a dignified voice. ...Phoenix's level 5 summoning magic!

An enormous flame sprouted from Mio's back, and transformed into wings of flame with a width of ten-odd meters.

Mio slammed those wings toward Koyuki, as this time it was her turn to attack.

However, while her body received the impact of the enormous amount of fire, Koyuki also carried out a spell chant of a high level magic.

"...Sinking hundred of ships, the menace of sea, lurking inside the depths of the sea! Rising to the surface guided by my singing voice... show that whole tale! ...Pierce through, oh fangs! Iceberg Grand WavesIce Buster!!"

Koyuki slammed her palm onto the ground—— from there a great number of icebergs flew out.

The emerging icebergs soared fiercely into the sky towards the flying Mio in order to skewer her. Mio slammed her flame wings to oppose one of the icebergs assaulting her.

Large scale destruction magics crashed into each other, flame and ice offset each other mutually.

"Mio-chan is really skilled at manipulating magic power from Astrum you know. If she falls into a pinch she is able to draw out a large amount of magic from Astrum."

The alternate world connected from the depth of the mental world—— Astrum. Enormous magic power at the root of a human's mind roiled in a whirlpool inside that world.

When a human's magic power reached the bottom, the person's mind could access Astrum and draw magic power from there. However if someone carelessly drew magic power from Astrum, that human's mind would be the one that was pulled into Astrum, and there would be a risk of fainting. That state was called <Magic Intoxication>.

"In a pinch, Mio-chan can unconsciously pull and use a large amount of magic power that will make normal people faint into magic intoxication. When she is cornered to the brink she becomes strong, using abnormal, utter gutsiness. This is one kind of talent that won't even lose to Koyuki-chan, see."

"Now that senpai mentioned it... I've never seen her faint because of magic intoxication."

"Koyuki-chan's Ice Buster is a level 6 magic. Mio-chan should lose if she clashed from the front. However even now... Mio-chan is still chanting her spell!"

Mio's flame wings kept weakening because it was losing to the glaciers that kept coming one after another.

"Blazing... Wings!"

However with a strained voice, Mio chanted the spell once more. Two consecutive level 5 magics!

The regenerated wings of flame were tiding over against the glaciers, and on the contrary it even pushed back the glaciers.

Even against an elf like Koyuki, who should have extraordinary magic power, gradually the bottom was starting to become visible, finally——

"It's over!" The referee, Hoshikaze-senpai, stopped the battle.

For the safety in the duel, the duel would be stopped when the magic power was depleted to the point where it reached critical section.

Both of them had used up all of their energy and willpower at the same time. Koyuki sat on the ground, and Mio too fell down and squatted from the exhaustion. Both of their magic dresses released light and returned back to their uniforms.

"It won't have any persuasion power if she is demoted after showing such a high level battle to this point, huh."

Liz Liza-sensei, who was spectating silently until now, whispered with a sigh.

"In the case of a draw, the evaluation of the side with the lower rank will be upped slightly. Hiakari Koyuki is the top of her grade, so in this case Amasaki Mio's evaluation will be upped. ...Hiakari, you didn't go easy on your opponent deliberately right?"

"...With Amasaki-san as the opponent... there wouldn't be any room for that..."

Koyuki, who was sitting down, said that looking completely exhausted.

"...Everyone... overestimated me too much because I'm an elf..."

"Fun. With this Amasaki will keep her rank for a while, but as long she can't clear a quest, this is no more than a stopgap measure."

Leaving those words behind, Liz Liza-sensei went back in the direction of the school building.

"Mio!" Kazuki, who heard Liz Liza-sensei's words, rushed over to Mio who was crouching down and breathing roughly, looking like she had just finished a marathon.

Even while totally exhausted, Mio fought to the bitter end to put on a smiling face and showed a V-sign to Kazuki.

Part 5

After dinner Kazuki knocked on Koyuki's door.

"Please come in." With that permission, Kazuki opened the door with a little nervousness.

What was before his eyes were——bookshelves.

"...This room looks completely like a library, huh."

The smell of books pierced the nose. There was no element of a girl's atmosphere at all, and what were inside were only bookshelves made from steel, that could be stowed with books both in the front and in the back. In the room, aside from a bed and a desk, there were only bookshelves lined up in an orderly fashion.

"There is always time to read books, anyway."

Between the gap of the bookshelves, Koyuki could be seen sitting on her bed wearing her usual underwear along with a white shirt. An old rabbit stuffed toy was propped up beside the bed. That was the only color scheme in this room.

"...That appearance again as I expected. I don't know where to put my eyes though..."

Kazuki's eyes kept getting attracted to the gap between the shirt's hem and shirttail. Glimpses of white clothes and a girl's legs kept appearing and disappearing, but he raised his line of sight with strong willpower and stared at the girl's face.

"I don't want to change my lifestyle just for the sake of your eyes' convenience."

"——If that's the case, I'll watch Hiakari-san as much as I want then."

Kazuki said that to try to bully her, even though he actually didn't have the intention of watching for real. Koyuki was startled because of that.

"Why... why would you do that? Anyway, there is nothing worth seeing in the body of someone like me."

"Haven't I said it many times before that Hiakari-san is beautiful. I'm going to push you down soon you know."

"You don't have that kind of courage right? Even though you have Amasaki-san."

...Why did she mention Mio there?

Koyuki closed her thighs while fidgeting, and then "What kind of business do you have?", glared at Kazuki scornfully.

"Hiakari-san was... regarding today's duel, did you know from the beginning that it would turn out like that?"

"You too are saying that I was going easy in that fight, is that so?"

"Even if Hiakari-san was not going easy during that duel, but if two people with equal ability dueled against each other, then it would naturally become a draw. If that happened, then Mio would keep her rank. Because Hiakari-san thought that, that's why Hiakari-san challenged Mio to a duel, am I right?"

"I didn't think anything like that at all. I just wanted to hand Amasaki-san her requiem because your invitation was annoying, that's all."

"When Hiakari-san requested the duel, I was panicked because I didn't know what you were thinking, but... certainly rather than challenging the quest once more, the possibility that Mio could keep her rank was higher if both Hiakari-san and Mio battled each other. I realized this after the duel finished."

"I didn't think anything like that at all. I just wanted to hand down that girl's requiem because it was annoying how much you and her flirted in the mansion, that's all."

"Thank you Hiakari-san. As I thought, Hiakari-san is a cool, kind, and reliable person."

"...Please listen when people talk. I'm getting angry you know."

"But on top of that I also have a request... in any event Hiakari-san has to join our party."

If the girl really acted for Mio's sake, then, as expected, I want to fight together with her and become comrades. That was what Kazuki thought.

"I don't want to. ...I don't want to have any illicit relation in the place of battle. I hate a party like yours and Amasaki-san's where you two keep flirting."

"Be-before too Hiakari-san mentioned flirting, but I never flirted with her before!"

"I know that. If I'm going to party with someone, then I expect to have a mercenary relationship."

"I think I can understand that kind of sentiment, but isn't it lonely to fight like that without any rapport with your comrade? You can't even encourage each other in difficult times with that kind of relationship."

"Searching for something like the contact of feelings in a battle is strange. If you have that kind of wish, then get someone else other than me..."

"I want to join parties with Hiakari-san, and then get along better with Hiakari-san."

Toward Kazuki's proclamation——Koyuki averted her face like she was running away from that straightforward gaze.

"...I hate it, frankly saying things like that!"

Despite saying how she disliked that kind of thing, a heart mark floated from Koyuki's chest and was absorbed into the ring. The girl's positivity level was raised up to 48.

As expected, the girl's heart and words were always contradictory.

"...Even though she was doing nothing but flirting with you, today's Amasaki-san was strong. Where does that kind of willpower come from? I'm looking at her in a new light, but just a little."

"It's not flirting. It's precisely because we are together that we also become stronger."

Toward that, Koyuki didn't give any reply and ignored Kazuki altogether, she crawled into her futon.

"In any case I refuse to party with you. Please leave the room already."

While turning her back to Kazuki, Koyuki hugged her rabbit stuffed toy inside the futon.

"...If you become friendlier with various girls, then the problem with your lack of battle tactics will also get resolved. Be more serious about the harem plan, oh my king."

When night fell, Leme said that while entering Kazuki's bed to sleep together at his side.

Because Leme materialized using Kazuki's magic power, it was better if she was near Kazuki as much as possible.

It was more economical and practical if she withdrew to Astrum. However, as a girl, it seemed having a real body and existing in the present world as much as possible was much more comfortable.

"But, I don't want to get intimate with any girl without caring about who she is just for the sake of getting stronger."

"But you are thinking that you want to get along better with Hiakari Koyuki, right?"

"Aah... that is so but..."

But this feeling was totally different from the emotion of love. It should only be a matter of friendship and affinity with each other.

Even though her positivity level had increased a little, Hiakari-san hadn't opened her heart at all.

"——Kazuki, do you have time?"

While Kazuki closed his eyes and waited for the arrival of sleepiness, Mio's voice came from the other side of the room door.

"It's okay, but... what kind of business is it that you came at this time of night?"

"...My king, don't make a blunder that decreases positivity level. If you do that then the usable magic will also decrease."

After only whispering that, Leme withdrew to Astrum and her physical body disappeared.

Mio, who wore a light crimson pajama, timidly entered the dark room.

"Tonight... is it okay to sleep together?"

"Haa!?"

Kazuki spontaneously raised his voice, but without even waiting for reply, Mio quickly crawled inside the futon.

"I'll say this first, there is no weird meaning about this! ...I'll get angry if you do strange things, okay!!"

While saying that Mio willfully pulled one of Kazuki's arms to the place where her head was located and used it as a pillow.

The aroma of citrus fruit drifted from the honey colored hair with its twin tails unfastened. The body was covered by the pajama, but the cloth was thin, and a girl's softness could be felt from the location where their bodies touched each other. Sweet heat that tickled a man's instinct filled the night.

"Wha, what is your intention, is this a test of my willpower as a swordsman, is that it?"

"What are you talking about? ...Tonight just a little, I don't want to sleep alone. It's okay, right? In the past, it looks like I also took a nap together with Kazu-nii..."

Once, Kazuki was living together with Mio in an orphanage——at Nanohana institute there was time for a nap after lunch. The one that was always at Kazuki's side during that time was Mio.

Around that time Mio was thought to be younger than Kazuki because her body was small. Her existence was completely like a little sister. Remembering that——Kazuki's heart mysteriously calmed down.

"That's right isn't it? Somehow it's a nostalgic feeling. But... has something happened?"

"...Yes. You see, for a long time since I was taken into the Amasaki household, I've lived without relying on anyone. ...After all, I was an orphan. I couldn't show any weakness to my new family."

——Hearing those words, it was impossible for Kazuki to not be sympathetic.

"I'm saying this myself, but... I was training in desperation, struggling to the death. Because I was recognized for my talent of magic. With the passage of time, an enigma appeared on me and I was skipping grades, but even so I didn't lose to my surroundings, and then I entered the magic division as an A rank..."

Kazuki was also the same. For a long time he thought that his only worth was his talent in the sword, there was a time when he couldn't believe his step-father and Kanae's [love as a family].

That was surely the trauma that he and Mio shared in common.

That's why he could understand somehow——when the tension was so high he almost snapped, surely there were moments when he wanted to be spoiled. However, the time when he couldn't show his weakness to anyone, that was a bitterness like being suffocated in the bottom of darkness.

"The truth is that today was bitter too. Being told that I will be demoted to B rank, I have a feeling that I will keep holding Kazuki back forever..."

Mio's voice was shaking inside the darkness of the room. Her voice became tearful.

"But didn't you prove your true strength? Both of you were strong. Sensei was surprised too."

"Yes, when I thought that I can still stay as an A rank, that I can still stay in the Witch's Mansion, that I can still stay together with Kazuki... suddenly I wanted to feel Kazu-nii just like those old days."

While using Kazuki's arm as a pillow, Mio nuzzled her face against his chest.

"That's why just like this is okay. If you do strange things now then I'll get angry."

"I won't. For me, being just like this is okay too."

Mio was "hehehe" giggling like a child toward Kazuki's reply.

"...Hey, from now on it's okay to add someone else to the party if Kazuki thinks that it is essential. I don't like if it is someone strange, but I won't say anything selfish anymore. ...As I thought, until now rather than prioritizing the battle, I was only worrying about different things. But, in exchange, lend me your arms like this once in a while. I can feel that I will be together with Kazu-nii for a long time."

{Everyday is no good you know! If Leme's place is going to be gone, then it's not allowed at all!}

Leme sent her words from Astrum with telepathy in a great panic.

While Mio moved her body closer to Kazuki, her breath started to *suyasuya* and she slept soundly. Mio's face always showed displeasure immediately following their reunion, but her defenseless, sleeping face was incredibly lovely and cute.

Suddenly——'Hiakari-san, is she sleeping while holding that stuffed toy right now?', a lonely image crossed Kazuki's mind.

Part 6

The next morning. A girl's voice resounded in the garden of the Witch's Mansion.

"YAAAAAAAAAA!"

The number 2 of the Magic Division in real strength, Hozhikaze-senpai, was in a gym uniform and brandishing a katana that came swinging at Kazuki.

Kazuki dodged with agility, and then the girl turned the katana with a fluid motion and slashed for the second and third time. The [forms] that Hoshikaze-senpai learned were still few, but she learned those few forms perfectly.

Kazuki counter-attacked and stabbed at the gap in the middle of the flow.

Hoshikaze-senpai blocked that with her katana in a panic.

An instant of swords locking against each other——Hoshikaze-senpai forced back Kazuki's sword straight-forwardly, but Kazuki warded off that force in a circle trajectory, and he manipulated the sword blade skillfully and strongly repelled senpai's katana.

The moment the swords separated, with that one move, Kazuki's posture was in the position of releasing a slash, whereas Hoshikaze-senpai's posture was disturbed to where it was impossible to counter attack.

Freely controlling the momentum of the swords in the moment that the swords locked against each other, that was the technique of old school's sword art.

"That technique is called [Instant Position]."

Kazuki's katana lightly hit Hoshikaze-senpai's forehead, which was repelled by the blue defensive magic power.

"Senpai, when locking swords, it’s no good to push directly opposite you know.”

Of course, even if it became a contest of strength Kazuki would win. In that case it was not something to teach.

“...I see! Whether Physical Reinforcement MagicEnchant Aura or physical strength, a genuine swordsman will absolutely surpass me in both areas. That’s why I must constantly parry my opponent’s attack. This is very important knowledge, isn’t it? Ha! It’s even more true if the enemy is a Demon Beast that boasted their strength!”

Just from one word that Kazuki said, Hoshikaze-senpai could understand ten things on her own and nodded her head repeatedly.

Everything was done with this enthusiasm, and she was a great student with tremendous quality.

Moreover, when Hoshikaze-senpai learned the form at the beginning, the form was engraved into her body only by seeing and practice swinging a little. When Kazuki showed an example, it seemed she traced that movement by aligning her consciousness with Kazuki's using advanced telepathy. Kazuki was dumbfounded when he realized there was that kind of method.

“Keep in mind that strength is not all there is in a match... Senpai has Thunder God Body FlickerRide Lightning, so being defeated in close range combat should not happen.”

Ride Lightning was the characteristic magic of Baal, the Diva that Hoshikaze-senpai was contracted with. Special electric signals were sent to the whole body’s muscles and nervous system, making it possible for the body to move at lightning speed.

That’s why for the sake of using those summoning magics, senpai begged Kazuki to teach her about close quarter combat.

She only learned the fundamental movements so far, but even those basics would become terrifying if used in high speed with Ride Lightning.

“I’m glad that I became your apprentice! Honestly saying, until I met you, somewhere in my heart I was also looking down on swordsmen. But swinging swords together with you every day, I had a feeling that a new world rapidly opened up!”

Hoshikaze-senpai’s handsome yet beautiful face suddenly changed into one with a smile. She was a senpai that looked like a prince and was popular with students of the same gender, but it was also impossible for Kazuki to not be attracted towards her character.

“Moreover, your way of teaching is kind. Somehow getting knocked down on the palm was a happy thing. You’re not savage at all, so... Even though you are a man, I want to know you more, through these sword lessons.”

As senpai said that with an ecstatic tone, a heart mark floated up from her chest.

“...I was like you for a long time, I was wishing for a friend of the [same gender]!”

“No, please wait a little senpai. Senpai and I are not the same gender.”

“That is true but... however, I am, see, somehow my appearance looks like a boy, doesn't it? The behavior of the girls around me somehow are... a little strange. I’m happy receiving adoration from them, but that is quite lonely. But if it’s with you, then I feel that we can immediately face each other as friends!”

“Of, of course! I don’t have any idea other than friendship!”

“Thank you, I’m happy! ...Oops, eh?”

Hoshikaze-senpai’s feet staggered while laughing. She didn’t realize it when she reinforced her body with magic power, but when she relaxed her attention, unexpectedly there was fatigue piling up.

“Are you okay senpai?” Kazuki immediately supported her shoulder.

Hoshikaze-senpai instantly trembled. ——This senpai, the truth was that she was not good with boys.

She was mostly used to dialogue face to face, but... it seems she was bad when getting touched.

Senpai ‘Hyaa!’ raised a shrill and a nervous voice and pushed away Kazuki who was getting closer.

Kazuki staggered because of that surprise attack. It was hard to predict a reflexive action.

“Ah... sorry! You okay!?”

This time it was Hoshikaze-senpai’s turn that reflexively supported Kazuki, and she pulled Kazuki close with good momentum.

But she did that with too much force, senpai staggered backward while closely embracing Kazuki.

Both of them staggered around while in the position of embracing——for a while it looked like a complicated exchange of energy like when they were locking swords, but in the end both of them tumbled down onto the lawn.

Blue light of defensive magic power burst out. Thanks to that there was no pain.

Kazuki was wrapped with warmth and softness. When he opened his eyes, his head was buried into Hoshikaze-senpai’s chest that was covered with gym clothes. It was soft, a sweet aroma of a girl’s sweat tickled his nose.

The gym clothes in front of his eyes were wet with sweat, and a water colored sports bra was showing through. Kazuki’s body was forcing through the spats covered legs of senpai, a posture that looked like he was completely drowned in senpai’s body.

“Ha, Hayashizaki-kun...” Hoshikaze-senpai’s face blushed bright red.

Through an act of God, it became that he pushed down a girl!

...Kazuki hopped up and separated his body. However before Kazuki could ask for forgiveness,

“So-sorry! It looks like I was trampling down on your kindness again!”

Senpai bowed her head down toward Kazuki because she thought she had done a very embarrassing thing.

“Senpai, please don’t apologize! There was no harm done anyway!!”

{Getting apologized to even though a lucky perverted event happened, what a great harem king huh, my king!}

Leme, who saw Kazuki’s situation from Astrum, sent ridiculing words to his head.

True, rather it was a good feeling... stop, having such wicked thoughts like that towards senpai was no good!

Senpai’s pupils were blurred with tears of self-condemnation though.

“I’m really sorry... Despite my intention to rely on you in my mind, but when a man approached I got surprised. ...Am I disqualified as your friend...? Please don’t hate me because of...”

Those eyes were not like a prince's. Spontaneously they became the eyes of a girl that had to be protected.

“It’s fine senpai! The unshakeable friendship between me and senpai won’t be destroyed by something like this!”

“Unshakeable friendship! ...Hayashizaki-kun, you really say it that much! I like it very much!!”

Hoshikaze-senpai grasped Kazuki’s hands in deep emotion.

But even though it was the case that Hoshikaze-senpai grasped Kazuki’s hand because she was overcome with emotion, she gradually started to feel scared of the fact that she was grasping the hand of a man. However, she trembled so much, that she couldn’t even separate her hand by herself.

“Senpai, please don’t force yourself.”

Kazuki separated their hand with a bitter smile. This senpai was really a person that moved without thinking first.

“For-forgive me. Why did I become like this? ...Haa. I wish that someday you and me can do a hot-blooded hug of friendship between men and ascertain our friendship with each other.”

“...Normally, there is no hugging in friendship between men you know.”

“Eh? In my favourite manga, they hugged each other while their faces got closer, and then they mutually whispered in each other's ears ‘I love you’ and bit the earlobes of their partner though? I didn’t really understand, but it made my heart beat faster you see.”

...That was not friendship, but boys love wasn’t it!?

“I want to get along better with you however. Just like that you seee...”

The positivity level of Hoshikaze-senpai that leaked such honest and dangerous words was——39.

It was only 39. Heart marks often flew out from Hoshikaze-senpai, but the amount the score raised up each time was strangely low. Moreover, sometimes the score decreased by itself even when Kazuki was not doing anything.

{It is because of her man phobia. The points decreasing arbitrarily as well, it was because even though she doesn’t hate you, she is also wondering whether it’s okay to like you. Her positivity level is restrained by her feeling of guilt.}

Leme was giving an explanation inside Kazuki’s mind. To get along better with senpai... not just simply raising her positivity level, her phobia of men must also be conquered, was that it?

But the more Kazuki knew about the matter of this person, the more he wanted to get along well with her.

That moment——suddenly, a voice that seemed to ridicule the situation came out from the bush behind.

“——Fufufu, it’s not a mere child's play to get along with Kazuki-dono of all people.”

“...Who is it?”

When Kazuki turned back, the figure of a female student appeared from inside the bush.

——She is not a normal person. That was what Kazuki felt. The figure that appeared, when she walked, her head didn’t shake up and down at all. That’s because her footwork moved like she was sliding, the characteristic of an ancient school of martial arts.

Regardless that this was the site of the Magic Division, the girl brazenly wore the Sword Division's uniform.

It was rare for a swordswoman with long hair to keep their hair extending free and not braiding them instead. A daring smile floated on her lips, and the majestic atmosphere around her had the taste of the coexistence of calmness and wildness.

Drawing the eyes even further——there were three different swords tied on each side of her hips, and on her back she bore an large war swordoodachi. Seven swords in total. ...What kind of swordsman is she?

“If you accompany her playing around like that, your precious skill will grow dull, Kazuki-dono.”

While walking to Kazuki’s side, the swordswoman threw a laugh toward Hoshikaze-senpai’s special training.

“As I thought, I’m only bothering you, am I? ...Sorry, Hayashizaki-kun.”

“That’s not true, please don’t be downhearted senpai! ...And you are?”

“The name of one’s self is Hikita Kohaku... The next year's student council president of the Sword Division!”

...Somehow this manner of speaking felt like déjà vu. Is this the swordsman version of Mio?

“The department is different, but are you also a first year like me?”

Kohaku faced Kazuki and politely bobbed her head down.

“I am Hoshikaze Hikaru. Second year in the Magic Division.”

Hoshikaze-senpai also gave a self-introduction... but Kohaku didn’t seem to give Hoshikaze-senpai any consideration, ignoring her and only poured her gaze on Kazuki.

Kazuki knitted his eyebrows. People in Sword Division that still held animosity against the Magic Division existed, this girl might be one of them.

She perfectly ignored Hoshikaze-senpai——but rather than getting angry, Hoshikaze-senpai laughed mischievously instead.

And then she encircled around to Kohaku’s back and raised her katana overhead.

Kazuki was shocked. Kaguya-senpai said it before, but Hoshikaze-senpai had a strange kind of playfulness.

Hoshikaze-senpai swung down a single stroke in a complete surprise attack.

That instant——Kohaku perceived the killing intent and turned around while unsheathing a katana.

“Foolish thing-!” ——While shouting she drew her sword as she turned around.

Hoshikaze-senpai had already swung down her katana, that was why someone with average skill couldn’t possibly make it in time. However with blue light of an Enchant Aura condensed into Kohaku’s arm, it produced staggering acceleration.

‘GIIIIN!’ A loud reverberation rang out, Hoshikaze-senpai’s surprise attack was repelled with a single stroke that should be called god speed. Kohaku immediately fixed her grip of the katana she already drew with both hands, turned the blade and swung it down. ——A perfect example of two stage Iai sword-drawing.

Hoshikaze-senpai barely stopped Kohaku’s katana closely above her head.

“...If a child tries to measure his strength against a tiger, he will die.”

Hoshikaze-senpai stared in wonder towards the point of the sword she barely stopped, “I underestimated you!” then she sheathed her katana and clapped her hand. Kohaku’s mood became better toward the honest praise of Hoshikaze-senpai, then she turned back toward Kazuki with a proud expression.

“...Though in relation to Iai sword-drawing, one’s self still cannot compare with Kazuki-dono.”

“No, I saw that your skill was not average though... So, what kind of business do you have with me?”

That sword drawing technique, she wouldn’t be able to achieve that kind of speed if she was not honing her body in sword discipline for most of her life. What kind of business did that kind of girl have to have to come into the Magic Division’s site expressly?

Don’t tell me that it is to challenge me for a duel...

“Kazuki-dono... I request you to [marry] me!”

“Please pardon me, currently I'm already sick and tired of [duel]!”

“You are already tired of marriage!? Kazuki-dono already has a history of divorce at this age!? How licentious...!!”

Kohaku was taken aback with utter astonishment, watching that Kazuki ‘eh?’ tilted his neck.

“What are you saying, licentious how?”

“Hayashizaki-kun, it is a misunderstanding because you heard wrong. What this girl said was marriage you know.”

Hoshikaze-senpai corrected the confused Kazuki’s misunderstanding from the side. ...Marriage?

“Wai——wait a minute! That is strange right!? We had just now encountered each other, so how could it turn into a marriage proposal so suddenly!?”

“Whether it is marriage or the first meeting, there is no relation between those two.”

‘DO-ON!’ Kohaku declared with great pomp.

“Of course there are! Normally there are relations between those two in the extreme!! What were you saying so boldly!?”

“Rather than that kind of thing, more importantly... With our marriage the Shinkage-style succeeded by the Hikita household and the Hayashizaki-style that was succeeded by Hayashizaki-dono will be unified. With the unification of those two styles, the strongest school of sword-style will be born!”

“————The strongest sword-style? You want to marry for the sake of strengthening the sword-style, is that it?”

“Quite so. Both of ourselves inherited ancient schools of sword-style used in real battle that are almost extinct in the present Japan. It can be said that it is our duty as the successors to advance this precious art, wouldn’t it?”

What the... To suddenly be proposed out of nowhere, for that kind of reason.

Hikita household’s Shinkage-style——I had heard that name. If I remember correctly it was an ancient sword-style handed down in Kyushu.

Kazuki had faced a lot of schools since his period of childhood, but he didn’t have any experience against schools from such a distant place like this Shinkage-style.

To what extent did the real strength of this style reach ———— an eagerness to test it surged out inside. However,

“I can understand the talk about the school’s sake but... to decide a marriage partner based on that is not good. Marriage is for the sake of staying together with your truly important person for your whole life after all.”

Hoshikaze-senpai was nodding alongside Kazuki while saying “Yes, yes, just like that!”

“Prioritizing free love rather than the sword-style... Kazuki-dono is unexpectedly a modern youth.”

It’s not this side that was modern, but that side is the one that is mistaken in the present time, that was what Kazuki thought.

“Certainly Hayashizaki-style is as important as my life... However, we must not advance the path of swords at the cost of people’s happiness. If we do that, you too will be hurt for sure.”

“Hmm... If ourselves become husband and wife, one’s self doesn't think that ourselves will become that unhappy but... if that is Kazuki-dono’s sense of values then one’s self will act in accordance with that. If one’s self will wed with Kazuki-dono, then one’s self needs to go through the wall of free love! That is a field that one’s self is poor at, but there is nothing to be done about that!”

“Eh, you don’t have any intention to give up?”

Kohaku gazed at Kazuki with eyes that looked like burning flames resided within. Even though those were not words that didn't seem like a girl, she said it sharply enough that it was engraved deep inside with a determined look.

{My King, there is no point even if you get along well with a woman that was not a Magika Stigma you know.}

Leme’s voice echoed inside his head... This Diva, whispering into his head while calculating each and every thing. Of course I don’t have any intention at all to have a love relationship with this girl though.

“Well then Kazuki-dono, setting aside the marriage how about forming a party with me?”

“Party? You mean a party for participating in a quest?”

“Correct. From the story I had heard, even though Kazuki-dono had formed party in Magic Division but you failed your quest. Rather than staying in that kind of party, won’t it be better to enter one’s self party instead? One’s self doesn't want to adhere to Heaven and Earth Formation, but one’s self desires to form a [swordsman only party].”

Ignoring Heaven and Earth Formation, a swordsman only party!?

“Hey wait, Sword Division students cannot challenge a quest by themselves though?”

Hoshikaze-senpai interjected from the side of the surprised Kazuki.

The students of the knight academy can challenge a quest through the reception desk called the Guild. However a party must have satisfied a certain requirement before undertaking a quest.

That requirement was——the party must include a Magika Stigma.

“Affirmative, just as you say. Therefore one’s self party still cannot challenge an actual quest. That is where the [Magic Division Swordsman], Hayashizaki-dono’s assistance will be imperative!”

“————In short I am not needed as a Magika Stigma, but you need my title as Magic Division while I myself am a swordsman, is it?”

That was a really rude way of talking. However Kohaku continued calmly.

“Affirmative. Even though all will be well as long there is a Magic Division student in the party, but one’s self doesn't want to recognize a human being that doesn't follow the same path of the sword as a comrade. If Hayashizaki-dono is added into ourselves' party, I wish yourself won’t use summoning magic at all. If ourselves can produce an accomplishment like that, surely it will become proof of a swordsman's true strength!”

“Why are you so fixated to raise accomplishments with only swordsmen that much? Even if you don’t force yourself like that, the true strength of a swordsman currently is in the process of being recognized, isn't it?”

Because of the incidents that happened in sequence since Kazuki enrolled a few weeks ago, the true strength of a swordsman was re-evaluated and the distance of the Magic Division and the Sword Division had immediately shrunk.

Both the student council of the Magic Division and the Sword Division had combined their strength and formed the Student Council Party and [That is the strongest right?] became the topic inside the academy. The progress kept going, and parties that combined the strength of the Magic Division and the Sword Division continued to increase.

Of course, Magic Division students that were still looking down on swordsmen were still not few, however————.

“Certainly the attitude of the Magic Division’s students toward the Sword Division’s students has improved, but there is still a lot of inequality remaining in this Knight Academy. Even though this has not yet been improved, and yet they happily shake their tail, the other side has become conveniently domesticated hasn't it?”

“When you said inequality, was it the matter about how a swordsman cannot challenge a quest by themselves? ————But if a party that only consisted of swordsmen encountered enemies that have resistances against slashing attacks, it’s checkmate you know.”

Kazuki had experienced that himself, for example, enemies like the slimes.

“Of course one’s self understands that. However a counter measure has already been worked out.”

————Widening the width of tactics only by using swordsmen? How?

“And then there is one more thing that is unfair to swordsmen, ownership of Sacred Treasures that swordsmen discovered is not recognized!”

Sacred Treasures——That was an item that was originally a man-made tool that contained spillover magic power from Astrum and transformed.

They were treasures that would rarely appear when searching the Haunted Grounds.

“Many of the Sacred Treasures have the form and nature of [weapons], and if a swordsman uses it then it’s possible that we can surpass Magika Stigma! However, because those Magika Stigma were scared that their position would be threatened by us swordsmen, they won’t distribute Sacred Treasures for the use of swordsmen! Of course it’s not only applied to Sword Division’s swordsmen, but even the Knight Order’s swordsmen are not allowed to use Sacred Treasures. The Sacred Treasures are only kept in storage and left to waste!”

“Utilization of Sacred Treasures is prohibited because, on top of its nature to consume magic to display its power, the possible influence caused to its user’s mind is regarded as dangerous.”

Hoshikaze-senpai explained it like that but Kohaku shook her head obstinately.

“Taking that kind of official stance even though there are no clinical experiments performed, do you think there is any persuasive power in that? If you insisted on that, then do you have any actual proof that the contract with Solomon's 72 Pillars doesn’t have any negative influence on the mind?”

——Certainly, that kind of thing might also be possible————.

The top brass of the Knight Order had been solidified around Magika Stigma, Japan's government and its citizens had also regarded Magika Stigma as heroes, using that view as political measures to guard the stability of the nation’s public order.

Restricting the swordsmen from using Sacred Treasures was a nation-wide conspiracy——it might not be such a wild story after all.

If it was Kaguya-senpai then [If another country used Sacred Treasures fully, and they came to attack then it will be too late for us! They are such peace idiots!] the talk will be furious.

“Thus one’s self advocated these points, acquirement of Sacred Treasures’ ownership, the treatment of swordsmen during quests, and the abolishment of various inequalities with other divisions in budget allocation!”

“So the first step to achieve that————is by adding me to a swordsmen only party, is it?”

Aiming for the elevation of the swordsman social status by achieving a result with a swordsman only party and becoming heroes.

“Correct, and then please marry with one’s self someday.”

However with that grand marriage proposal, suddenly all strength spontaneously left Kazuki.

“Sorry, but no matter how just Hikita-san’s cause is, in the first place I have no intention to leave my current party. Because it is a party of only two people with a very precious person.”

“I see————One’s self will respect Kazuki-dono’s sense of values. In short if one’s self become even more important than that very precious person then everything will be fine right! And then we will enter a love relationship and marry each other! Love and the like is a field one’s self is poor at and doesn't really understand it well————However, there is no other way than to do it! I will do it!”

“Eh, that’s not it, I want you to obediently give up there though————”

“I won’t give up! This unworthy Hikita Kohaku is ignorant of the subtleties of the heart of a gentleman, but I will [conquer] Kazuki-dono’s heart without fail, I’ll show you!”

Kohaku grandly straightened her chest and proclaimed to Kazuki. That’s not a nice thing to say, to [conquer] ————!

{For you who must conquer the girls of the Magika Stigma, conversely to be conquered by a swordswoman————! A weird girl has come approaching——!!}

Even Leme’s shocked voice had reached Kazuki’s mind.

“Well, it’s fine if we are on good terms with each other but————can you stop using such polite language?”

“————Do you mean calling with casual language and saying name without honorific to a gentleman, even though ourselves are not spouse!?”

Kohaku who owned a wild, beautiful face. However, she was unexpectedly refined and hesitated.

“I don’t feel that we can get along well if you are so formal despite being classmates.”

“It, it can’t be helped then if it’s needed for the sake of getting along————Hayashizaki————no, it will be easily mixed up with calling Kanae-kaichou without honorific so————Kazuki————”

Kohaku’s face became bright red while she fidgeted when she called Kazuki’s name.

“Well, even if we get along well as friends, I still don’t have any intention to abandon my current party or enter a love relationship though. If that’s fine then let’s become friends.”

“One, one’s self is troubled with that! But, I'm fired up against such a huge obstacle! That being the case, I’ll show you that I’ll conquer Kazuki’s heart! ————Kuh, somehow it's suddenly become embarrassing!”

Suddenly————a black shadow sneaked up behind the spirited Kohaku.

“Ko~ha~ku! You little———— what are you doing in this kind of place!?”

“Killing intent!?” Kohaku used an Iai sword-drawing simultaneously with the voice while turning back. “OWA-!” The one who raised a scream while avoiding the sword was——the senpai called Yamada Torazou. A male student of Sword Division’s student council.

“Don’t just abruptly slash from nowhereee!”

“What————Torazou huh. From the presence I thought it was something like a beast.”

“Don’t call a senpai without an honorifiicc! It’s improper!”

“Torazou is weaker than one’s self so I won’t use honorific language.”

“Really, you are————. Yo! Kazuki and Hoshikaze-san!”

Torazou-senpai’s eyes met with Kazuki then he approached while waving his hand with a cheerful smile.

“————What were you guys doing with that kind of appearance? Has Kazuki taught Hoshikaze-san sword techniques?”

“Fufufu, Yamada-kun, have a rematch with me now. I have received the instruction of secret measures just now.”

Hoshikaze-senpai who was poor with men nonchalantly hid in Kazuki’s shadow even while saying that.

“Spare me this time, I don’t have a feeling that I could win no matter how many times we fought. ...Rather than that Kohaku, what are you doing here even though you were absent from the student council meeting?”

“Torazou, one’s self won’t go anymore to student council okay! I withdraw my application as an apprentice!”

“What the heck are you saying. It’s disgraceful in front of Kazuki and the others. ————Even though until just a while ago I somehow made the president to consider you. Yet suddenly you become rebellious in this place.”

Torazou-san talked like he was explaining while ignoring the stare of Kazuki and the others.

“Certainly one’s self was respecting Hayashizaki-kaichou. But currently she is degraded as the pet dog of the Magic Division’s student council! Wagging her tail to the Magic Division’s student council, one’s self doesn't have any intention to follow such a Sword Division's student council! Farewell!!”

Kohaku turned her back toward Torazou-senpai in a flash, then blue light of body reinforcement shined in both her feet and she left with violent force. The three people could only see off that back in a dumbfounded manner.

“So Kohaku is a member of the Sword Division student council?”

“She was an apprentice as a promising first year. The same position like you huh. But well————she only creates trouble because of that kind of personality. I was her superior, but.”

Torazou-senpai held his head tiredly while he breathed a sigh.

“————Your elder sister and the vice-president in my student council are strong in battle but they are good-for-nothings, so normally I was the only one who did most of the practical work... Both the president and vice-president are capable, and the first years are also respectful... I'm envious of the Magic Division’s student council——”

“Ahaha, our student council was praised♪ That’s because Hayashizaki-kun and the others are our prided first years.”

Hoshikaze-senpai clapped her hand on Kazuki’s shoulder. It was an unconscious action based on pure good will toward Kazuki, but as soon as she realized that she touched a male she got startled.

Kaguya-senpai and Hoshikaze-senpai too, both were very good senpais.

The atmosphere around the Witch’s Mansion was really like a family——it was really embarrassing to speak of when all the other members were girls, but once again, Kazuki thought that he really liked this student council.

It was the story of a different student council, but seeing a first year defying her senior felt painful.

“It is a really shameful story, but there are still a lot of guys in the Sword Division that hold a grudge against the Magic Division.”

“It's the same thing in the Magic Division. There are still many people that look down on the swordsmen.”

“This is a matter that won’t be able to go quite smoothly right off the bat huh. ...Well, see you guys later.”

Torazou-senpai left the area, and Hoshikaze-senpai slipped out a chuckle while seeing him off.

“Hikita Kohaku-san. She is a somewhat strange child right? That kind of rashness is cute.”

Certainly a charm of wildness was hidden inside her calm demeanor, impudent and yet modest, bold but also somewhat shy... a girl that left a mysterious impression.

“I wonder what would happen if Hayashizaki-kun fell into her temptation and parted from Mio-chan.”

“There is no reason that would happen. Because Mio is a very precious partner to me.”

“————Actually today there is a request we want to ask from your party, so in the unlikely event that your party broke up because of things it will be troubling.”

“A request? For us who don't have any success with quests?”

“Yes, but it’s really not something too troublesome. Rather, it could be the solution for your trouble... Well, I think you will hear the story from Kaguya after school so just wait. Fufufu~”

A small storm had just passed... However, a premonition of trouble in the future once again came from Hoshikaze-senpai’s manner of speaking.

“Okay then Hayashizaki-kun, let’s take a shower and do the morning preparations okay!”

————Wait, of course, there was no reason to take a bath together though.

Chapter 2 – Visitor From Outside World

Part 1

When Kazuki and Mio entered the classroom together, several greetings of "Good Morning" welcomed them. Even though it happen's every morning, the barrage of greetings from this many girls was still overwhelming.

“Hey, Amasaki-san, Hayashizaki-kun, won’t you two join our party!?”

One of the classmates didn’t stop at greeting and came over near their side.

Without waiting for Kazuki’s reply, the girl panicked and kept on talking without pause.

“Surely, after I thoroughly made fun of you about that matter with the sword, it might be too shameful to form a party together! But I, when Hayashizaki-kun fought against Amasaki-san using a katana, I thought it was really cool!”

Looking carefully at this girl, she is the one that triggered the impetus of the duel with Mio.

“Moreover, I thought that if we challenge a quest, it will be helpful if a swordsman accompany us, Rather than asking the people at the Sword Division, it would be easier to just ask Hayashizaki-kun who is a classmate...besides I heard Hayashizaki-kun and Amasaki-san are currently facing some troubles!! I wonder!?”

Inside the classroom, jeering voices rang out “Aah, she is stealing the march on Hayashizaki-kun-!” “Not fair!” and so forth. Hearing that, the girl retorted back “Wait, be quiet you guys-!”

As a [swordsman]. It seems that Kazuki had noticed those classmates who made those cheerful voices.

It has been one month since his enrollment to this school. The number of students that managed to contract successfully with their Diva had increased rapidly.

Those students immediately formed their party and actively challenged the quests.

“As expected, I wonder if it’s no good... before when I made fun about the sword...”

Even though Kazuki hadn’t said anything, that classmate had already got down on herself.

“It’s okay, I don’t mind. In the end it became a chance to fix my relationship with Mio.”

A heart mark floated from the girl after hearing Kazuki’s answer.

The classmates around exclaimed “There is a chance!?”, and made a stir as well.

“Really!? Then after school today let’s take a quest together immediately...”

“I'm sorry, I want to think about the party a little more carefully.”

Kazuki asked with a glance at Mio’s face.

Just now Mio was watching in suspense whether Kazuki would accept the invitation, but when she caught Kazuki’s eyes, she made a pouting expression, as if she was trying to hide her agitation.

Her face seems like it wanted to say ‘isn’t it fine if you do whatever you like?’

But as expected, it seems she was not okay with just anyone.

“Uh... in short you want to wait until we get along better first right? ...Well, it can’t be helped. But thank you that you didn’t make a big deal about my behavior last time! Sorry about that, let’s get along from now on!!”

The girl’s look changed like she had been released from her guilt and she returned to her own chair.

{That girl is also a contractor of the 72 Pillar, that’s why you should use everything you can to get friendly with her.}

Inside Kazuki’s head, Leme raised her dissatisfaction . Even though I had said before that I didn’t want to have that kind of honourless behavior.

“What the heck is that, it feels like there was no consideration for me and she only aimed for Kazuki! Even though I am the one that is rank A. ...Weell, I’m happy though that Kazuki considered me.”

Mio smiled a little with her last words, then she went to her own chair.

As Kazuki reached his own chair——from behind, Koyuki talked to him absent-mindedly.

“Rather than inviting somebody like me, isn’t it better to accept that offer from before?”

“However it is my dream for me, Mio, and Hiakari-san, the three of us to become a party.”

“...How obstinate. Are you a stalker?”

Kazuki turned his face behind, but Koyuki turned her face ‘Puih’ away.

“...Hiakari-san, let’s talk before sensei comes okay?”

Kazuki called out toward the girl’s translucent and noble side face.

“I don’t want to talk about anything trivial. Such things are useless no matter how much we do it.”

“There were many books in Hiakari-san’s room weren't there? What kind of book do you like to read?”

“I just read books that were already completed regardless of the person. That’s why, please don’t try talking to me.”

“...Come to think of it, does Hiakari-san like rabbits? Somehow it suits you.”

“I prefer it rather than humans. That’s why, please don’t try talking to me.”

“...Hiakari-san, right now I’m doing a funny face, so look this way.”

“Your face is relatively well-ordered, so I think it won’t be interesting no matter what you do.”

“It’s no good if Hiakari-san praises and mocks me even when you are not even looking at me. You won’t regret it, so look here a little.”

Kazuki used a drastic move by using body reinforcement magic to power up his face muscle to make an expression.

Hayashizaki-style Secret Party Performance ——also known as [Ougi-Murder at First Sight].

“Saying things like that, like it is anything big...”

Koyuki looked at Kazuki with a brief sidelong glance, at that instant “——Bufuhh!?” she burst out.

Due to the reinforced muscle, the bone structure of Kazuki’s face was transformed to the level of it's utmost limit.

“...Come eat my face.”

Imitating the voice from the hero that was loved even now by the kids, Koyuki hid her face with both hands while her whole body was shaking and trembling. A heart mark flew from her chest.

...No way, I never thought her positivity level can increase with this.

Kazuki got carried away and repeated his [Anime Character Face Mimicry Medley] intently. Koyuki was shaking like the vibration of a cellphone and the surrounding classmates were laughing too when they noticed Kazuki’s face. With precise timing, the door of the classroom opened.

“Be quiet all you trash! It’s already the time for Short HomeroomSHR, how much do you guys want to be nuisan——BUFUUHH!?”

Liz Liza-sensei finally came so Kazuki turned around to face the class platform, then sensei was bursting out too .

“Tra, trash! Rank E trash, what happened to you bastard!? I mean what happened to your face! ...Oi, are you okay?”

From Liz Liza-sensei’s slip of the tongue, an echo of worry stuck out.

“I’m sorry, this can’t be fixed immediately.”

“Is that body reinforcement magic...? So there is that kind of practical use for that skill, huh... It might be useful for disguise. Well, no matter, as your punishment you must keep your face like that until I say it’s fine. Anyway first things first, right now I’ll introduce a transfer student. ...Come on in.”

Transfer student!? Liz Liza-sensei faced the corridor and called out, the classroom turned into an uproar.

What kind of transfer student had came ——the noise from that expectation lasted for only a moment.

If you thought about it carefully, everyone realized that such thing was impossible.

It was impossible for a transfer student to come to the national Knight Academy <Caryatid>.

Why was it? Because other than people who got Mystery MarkEnigma at their 14th birthday, nobody else could enroll into this academy. An addition at a later time was impossible.

What in the world is going on, rather than expectation, confused gazes concentrated on the door.

The door was opened with a scraping noise and the one who appeared was ——a slightly short foreigner girl.

With her long golden hair fluttering around, she walked toward the platform with a refined manner. When she moved to face toward the class' direction, shining particles were released from her golden hair and white skin.

The combination of her shining hair and white skin were just like pure gold and silk.

“Nice to meet you. I am Charlotte Liebenfrau desu.”

An unexpected fluent Japanese. An elegant and composed smile, accompanied with a moderate tone of voice that felt just right to the ear. Everything was clad with an atmosphere of a gorgeous high class item.

“She might not look like a Japanese, however, as my distant relative she holds Japanese nationality. Actually she is still 14 years old, however... because of some circumstances she is skipping grades into this academy. She is younger than you all, but this girl’s magic ability was already qualified as rank A. There is no problem with her.”

Skipping grades? ...So that means, the girl received her stigma at 14 years old and without waiting for her promotion, she immediately transferred into the Magic Division, like that?

Why was she given such special treatment? From Liz Liza-sensei’s explanation, rather than explaining about the girl’s origin, it was more like giving a warning not to look too deep into it.

“Please call me Lotte.”

In contrast with the silence inside the classroom, she presented a smiling face with more passion than anyone. Then she looked around the classroom ——and her eyes met with Kazuki, her eyes opened round and wide like a jasper.

Her body leaned forward leaving her hair trailing behind and she let out an excited voice.

“——Japanische Animation!”

The pronunciation in English sounds a bit different.

——As the fate of the transfer student, every break time Lotte was surrounded by her classmates.

The figure that did her best to answer all kinds of questions honestly, really exuded the charm of a junior.

“Your hair is really pretty! And the skin is really white! Are you really a Japanese?”

“Erm...My family and Liz Liza-oneesan’s family had lived in Japan since the time of my grandfather. Even though I am like this, I am a Japanese through and through desu.”

“Eeh, really!? Didn’t you talk in a mysterious language before?”

“Lotte-chan, what kind of food do you like?”

“Eeeto... sushi and tempura... especially tuuna, I like it desu!”

“No way-! Lotte-san is absolutely a foreigner after all-!”

“Hey, let me touch the hair too! Uwaa, it’s really pretty when seeing it this close! Like pure gold!!”

“Her cheek is really smoothhh-! Cuteee!!”

“Uuuuu... being touched here and there like that feels really good desu...”

Even when she was jostled by her classmates, she stayed docilely like a puppy with pedigree and showed an elegant, happy smile. With that kind of attitude, Lotte had became a really popular person in the class.

Gazing at that scene distantly——Koyuki talked with Kazuki with amazed tone.

“...If she was surrounded by that many people like that, won’t she die because of stress?”

“But conversing moderately is needed you know, Hiakari-san.”

“...It is not needed. That kind of thing is a hindrance, please don’t talk to me.”

“The side who came and started the conversation was Hiakari-san, wasn’t it!?”

The moment when the questions paused accidentally, Lotte glanced towards Kazuki’s seat.

After that, she said to the surrounding students “Excuse me, just a little, excuse me.” While bowing and apologizing repeatedly ,the crowd of people parted and she approached towards Kazuki direction. Koyuki averted her face with a ‘puih’.

“Excuse me... that anime face from before, can you do it one more time?”

Kazuki hid his face like doing a peek-a-boo using his hands, and then after using the face technique, showed his face. Lotte didn’t laugh when witnessing that, but her eyes glittered in excitement.

It looked like Lotte didn’t understand about recent anime so Kazuki tilted his head.

“...Do you like old masterpiece anime like this?”

“Yes! As Japanese, it’s natural to be fond of anime desu!”

No wait, no matter how you see it, from her tastes of food and anime it didn’t look like a Japanese person at all though. Or perhaps I should say that from her excitement she looked more like a country bumpkin...

It made me want to doubt whether she really had lived in Japan for a long time.

Nonetheless, if she was neither born in Japan nor a foreigner who went through naturalization, then this was a really baffling matter.

——That was because the present Japan didn’t have any diplomatic relations with other foreign countries.

Part 2

{——First year class two, Amasaki Mio-san, Hayashizaki Kazuki-kun, Hiakari Koyuki-san, urgent, please come to the Student Council’s room.}

As soon as school was over, the voice of Kaguya-senpai was broadcasted and summoned out Kazuki and the others. Kazuki’s eyes soon met with Koyuki, who sat behind, and then joined with Mio who sat in the front, and came out of the class.

The Witch’s Mansion, in the end, was a building for the sake of living, a [dormitory], so there was a different room to do the work of the student council. The location was next to the staff room of the Magic Division.

Why were they summoned? A notice was fixed on the door of the student council’s room with a message [This week’s Diva Contracting Ritual will be performed on Wednesday]. Recently, the work of the student council was in carrying out the contracting ritual.

Although they were summoned urgently, there was no one inside the room other than Hoshikaze-senpai.

“Kaguya will come soon, so please wait a little.” Senpai smiled with the look of a know-it-all.

After a while, the door opened with a strong momentum and Kaguya-senpai entered.

“I made you wait huh, first years? Today I will introduce a new comrade okaaayyy!”

Kazuki and the others opened their eyes in surprise because Kaguya-senpai, out of the blue, said comrade with a merry voice.

“Go on, come in! This child is the new rank A first year... Charlotte-chan!”

Kaguya-senpai turned back to the corridor——and the figure that appeared was the transfer student, Lotte.

“Please treat me well! Ah, the anime person! I am in the same class with the three of them desune!”

Lotte bowed her head quickly and smiled. This transfer student is a [new comrade]...?

“It might be confusing suddenly saying a thing like that... however, you guys have at least already understood slightly that this girl is not just your everyday student right?”

Liz Liza-sensei came following Lotte’s back and said that while closing the door of the student council room.

“That thing about my distant relative is a lie. Actually she doesn’t even have Japanese nationality. This girl——there is no reason to use polite language so I called her this girl, but——she escaped from the Dukedom of Seinmundo in Europe using a private jet. In other words, she is a [refugee]. This girl doesn’t have the right of succession but she is equivalent to the daughter of the ruling duke of Seinmundo.

Refugee?, Kazuki and the others were dumbfounded and lost their words hearing that unfamiliar heavy word.

The true identity of the transfer student, that should originally be impossible was——the princess of a foreign country?

The Dukedom of Seinmundo. Although they have self-autonomy that was recognized to some extent, it was a country that received the rule of a certain magic advanced country, [Germany]. It is a small puppet state in Northern Europe.

Because of the birth of magic in this world, the world’s state of affairs underwent a drastic change.

The world’s «Big Seven Magic Advanced Countries» with the backing of divine protection from their own respectively different Mythology owned powerful military strength. And so the other countries that didn’t earn the divine protection from Divas were placed under the patronage of a magic advanced country.

However, Japan was the only Magic Advanced Country that didn’t participate in ruling any other country, existing solely with their own self-support.

Also the Big Seven Magic Advanced Countries have no diplomatic relations at all.

If one were to ask why, it was because the divine protection from Divas of Solomon 72 Pillars, who didn’t demand faith was an exception. However, Mythology became stronger when there were more faith. Due to the direct relationship between military power and faith to the Mythology, the Magic Advanced Countries, other than Japan, were converting into [Religious Nation] little by little. Religious nations where the religion encroached into their politics made it impossible for them to co-exist in harmony with other religious nations.

At first, there were no problems between the Magic Advanced Countries and diplomatic relations still existed. In the period of 15 years however, the faith to Mythology was gradually deepening and the friction between countries became bigger, and finally, Japan cut off all diplomatic ties and fell into isolation.

The once existing EUEuropean Union that unified Europe and the United Nations, with connections that crossed over the borders between countries, were already becoming a mere shadow of what they once were. Due to alchemy, the production efficiency of food increased and the necessity for foreign trade was lost, expediting the split of the world.

Today was the first time Kazuki ever heard the name of [Seinmundo Dukedom]. From this kind of circumstances, there was practically no information that entered Japan about other advanced countries or the countries that were under their protection.

Since the Second World War, the aim of world globalization and the circulation of international cooperation experienced a sudden reversal due to the birth of magic, and the world had ran full speed into the direction towards division as its destination.

——Inside such flow of the world, before one noticed it, a battle royale between every religious nation that would induce Mythology WarRagnarok didn’t seem like a wild tale anymore.

“But, really... a princess?”

For people who had lived with the doctrine of democracy, such words felt like it would cause the sensation of indigestion.

Kazuki stared at Lotte while feeling confused and the girl returned an elegant smile.

Now that it was mentioned, the girl’s demeanor always felt like the breeding of nobility.

“The Seinmundo Dukedom's formation was around the period when magic was born, it is still a country with a short history. In Europe, a human born with excellent magic power is regarded as someone with high social status, and the countries with restored monarchy system are not few. Nonetheless, beyond that under the patronage of an advanced magic country, the one who rules the country is not a king but a duke. It's not a kingdom but a dukedom, not an independent country but a puppet state, their status fallen.”

Having said that, it could be said that in the end, the advanced magic country and the country under its patronage didn’t have equal relations.

It seems a humane patronage was done under the name of faith.

“Japan doesn’t have diplomatic ties with Seinmundo, so currently I am no more than a refugee, I am resigned no matter what kind of treatment I receive desu.”

Lotte, the refugee who was formerly a princess whispered such.

“I’ll say this in advance, don’t do anything strange to her.” Liz Liza-sensei glared with glinting eye.

“It’s too late, the classmates were already...”

“What!?” Liz Liza-sensei’s expression changed.

“Her cheek was rubbed until it was squishy. They felt around the cheek of a princess of a whole country.”

“That was... felt good desu...♪”

Toward the ecstatic Lotte, Liz Liza-sensei can only breathe a long sigh in exhaustion.

“...She is not a princess anymore but a refugee. From now on we don’t understand [what kind of meaning she has politically]. Because of that, first you guys protect her, furthermore this academy is chosen to give her the chance in education with people of the same age.”

I see, if you think about a place where she could be protected and receive education, there is no better place than this academy.

Of course it went unsaid, but her placing in this academy surely also included monitoring her activity.

That point resembled Kazuki’s position a little. This matter tends to be forgotten but——Kazuki’s stay in the Witch’s Mansion also included the implication of monitoring there.

“They made a lie about being Liz Liza-sensei’s relative because of that circumstance you see. Even if we say that she is a Japanese, but it is somewhat unnatural with her speech and conduct.”

Liz Liza-sensei also had the appearance of a foreigner, but she had already been through naturalization from a long time ago. Liz Liza- sensei was also a former knight, but you must have Japanese nationality to become a knight.

In contrast with that, Lotte was——a genuine foreigner coming from the outside world where we didn’t even have any diplomatic relations just a while ago.

“Having said that, this girl only came looking for an asylum from three days ago, and she had already learned how to speak Japanese you know.”

“Three days!? How in the world!?”

“By telepathy, she thoroughly synchronized with the consciousness of a Japanese person, and then it seems she traced everything that had <association> with feelings and language. What kind of emotion he harbored and what kind of language he gave forth, she copied all that motion of the mind.”

...Was it the same with the way Hoshikaze-senpai learned the sword? However the way Lotte did it ——was even more advanced compared to Hoshikaze-senpai. Kazuki couldn’t even imagine it.

“The girl had also received the same test you all got before the enrollment, the result was very surprising. It can be said that she is a genius in the field of telepathy. That’s why she is a rank A without question.”

Different with <Summoning Magic> that borrowed the magic power of a Diva to activate, by manipulating our own magic power we could use <Common Magic>. <PsychokinesisTelekinesis Magic>, <PyrokinesisThought Burning Magic>, <Enchant AuraBody Strength Reinforcement Magic> , <Extra SensePerception Strength Reinforcement Magic>, <TelepathyMind Sympathy Magic>, common magic were categorized into that five system. Telepathy was the field where Kazuki was the weakest at.

“...This girl, why did she come here looking for an asylum?”

Koyuki inquired with a sigh. That was ——if it was okay to ask that question, then that was also something I wanted to ask.

To seek asylum means that you escape your own country and migrate to a different country——in short, an act to escape to a place where the hands of your homeland wouldn’t reach you. [Turning your homeland into an enemy], such a thing was not a common circumstance.

“Lotte, it’s no problem if it is these guys. ——Show them your strength.”

"Yes", with that reply, silver light of magic power shined from Lotte’s body.

There was no mistake, that was the light of Summoning Magic. And then the girl accessed the Astrum and chanted her spell.

“Veritas me LiberabitThe truth shall set me free... the wise man who became father the protector of humanity, show that wisdom right here.”

Blinding light converged into the shape of a human——what appeared was an extremely strange avatar of a young boy.

This golden haired, young boy’s whole body was clad in a mysterious suit that was made from unknown material that was neither cloth nor metal. He stood besides Lotte and calmly gazed towards Kazuki and the others with his silver pupils.

Rather than a God or Devil——his figure was easier to comprehend if it was said that he was a space alien or a human from the future.

Besides, just now, Lotte didn’t chant this Diva’s name.

“Look, my King! This guy is even smaller when compared to Leme!!”

Leme materialized besides Kazuki and said that while pointing her finger towards the Diva with the figure of a young boy.

“Why the hell are you getting fired up with stupid rivalry in a strange area like that?”

“It’s not like that! This guy... compared to Leme, he lost even more of his strength and memory!”

...! So small size show something like that!?

“Correct. Not to mention the majority of my memory and strength, I lost even my own name.”

The Diva with the figure of young boy said so with a mechanical tone of voice and without any inflection.

“About him, I call him Prophet. What is certain about him is that he is not a Diva of Norse Mythology. What I did was contract with a Diva of a different Mythology than Germany’s own state religion desu.”

“That was the reason why this girl seeks an asylum. This girl is recognized as <Heretic Contractor> in Germany. When you contract with a Diva that doesn’t come from the Mythology of Germany’s own state religion, then your life will be forfeit, no question asked.”

...Even in Japan, if you form a contract with Divas other than from Solomon 72 Pillar who's safety hadn’t been confirmed, you would be arrested by the Knight Order as an <Illegal Contractor> and your magic power would be sealed.

To seal magic power, on top of using medications to make your mind defenseless, advanced telepathy magic is applied to crush the part of your mind that governed the control of magic power.

Using this method would cause side effects in the personality of the receiver, and this treatment invited a lot criticism but...

Somehow the treatment of heretic contractors was more severe in Germany——it seems it was death penalty.

“Why did you form that contract then?” Mio threw that natural question.

“I suffered from an illness since birth. When I turned fourteen years old, I was at the verge of death. At that time, Prophet appeared in my heart. He possessed me partially then he overwrote the parts of my body that were sick and saved me. Currently I am in the state of <half human, half god> desu.”

“That was not just an act of mercy, there was also benefit for me who lost my power.”

The young boy Diva called Prophet talked with a voice so flat you couldn’t surmise his emotion.

“I had to become a parasite in a human body to recover back my strength. But I don’t want the personality of my host to be extinguished because of my possession. For that purpose, I had to choose someone that was able to maintain their mind with advanced mind control so their mind wouldn’t blend with me when I usher into their mind. Charlotte has the potential for that, moreover if I don’t possess her then her life would be in a precarious situation. If she formed a contract with me then she would end up throwing everything away and enter an exile, but even so it could be said that our interest matched, don’t you agree?”

“Of course I’m grateful to Prophet. I obtained a healthy body, I can go outside, I can also come to Japan that I had yearned for, even though as a refugee! While I was in my sickbed watching the contraband item of Japan’s old anime, I had yearned for this country so much desu.”

“Taking refuge in Japan was also convenient for me. This island country is the most optimum place to restore my strength.”

The smiling Lotte and the expressionless Prophet explained alternately.

...However, was this situation really fine?

When a Diva with evil intention possesses a human, it was said that they whispered sweet words to their host and tricked them.

The scream of Kaya when her body was taken over by Loki was still fresh in Kazuki’s mind, even now.

“In Lotte's examination there was no evidence of encroachment in her personality. There is a clear separation, inside Lotte, between her own self and Prophet, they are not mixed at all. Prophet has changed into a purely life-support part for Lotte. ...Even though I say examination, it was done by psychology test using telepathy scan, so we cannot say absolutely for sure though.”

Liz Liza-sensei said that like she was answering the doubt inside Kazuki’s heart. Naturally, the Knight Order and the government had already finished confirming the doubt that lingered inside Kazuki.

Thereupon, the question was: This Diva, did he really save a human with pure good will?

“Moreover we succeeded in our escape because of Prophet’s power. He was able to understand how to operate the jet airplane, after all I don’t know how to operate a jet airplane. I was careless back there desu.”

“Diva... drive a jet airplane? Oi Leme, so could you also operate a jet airplane?”

Kazuki asked Leme with a great uneasiness.

“...Can’t you see that there is no way Leme can do that. It’s doubtful that Leme can even ride a bicycle. ...It was mysterious no matter how Leme saw it, what kind of theory did the bicycle use that it could keep moving forward without falling over?”

The existence called Diva was the dweller of Mythology. It was obvious there would be unease if you heard about a Diva driving a jet airplane.

The appearance of a jet airplane in a mythology... as expected there should be none.

“Airplane... I only operated it with intuition, but it was a wonderful thing.”

“Though when Prophet flew the plane in the sky, his tension suddenly raised up and he sped up too much that we almost crashed desu.”

Lotte said so while laughing pleasantly like she was telling a funny story.

Diva that could understand science...? There were too many puzzles that keep deepening here.

“I had heard about a Diva that lost his memory before, however, how could Prophet lose his strength?”

Mio threw a simple question.

“That’s... even though I lost my memory, I still slightly remember my mission. Diva has a mission established from the Mythology. My mission is, at the minimum, I have to stop the calamity of <The Third Machia>.”

“Machia? Caramel macchiato?” Mio said a strange thing like an airhead.

“A story of Greece is it? We can judge that it is highly possible this Diva is from the Greek mythology.”

Liz Liza-sensei crossed her hand and gave an explanation like she was starting the class.

“...We learned that in Mythology class but, Greek Mythology depicted two WarMachia that gambled the existence of the universe. First was the Titanomachia, where Zeus and other gods challenged the Titans that ruled the universe. The second time was the Gigantomachia where the children of the Titans, the Giants, waved the banner of revolution towards Zeus who had beaten the Titans and became the chief god."

Prophet nodded his head with his still expressionless face towards Liz Liza-sensei’s words.

“Quite so. Even though I don’t understand who I am, I still have some memory in the degree of simple knowledge. I remember it. In Titanomachia, Zeus and the other gods won only with the strength of gods. In Gigantomachia they needed the cooperation of humans. They gained the assistance of Hercules and was able to win. And then in the third Machia... humans will become the leading actor and humans will be the ones that need to overcome the enemy... it will become a battle like that.”

“Prophet has the power of prediction. Though he couldn’t understand everything, but only for the truly important thing, it’s only vague prediction but it seems he can perceive it desu.”

“It seems my mission was contradicting some other Diva. Because of that, I fought with another Diva, got defeated, and then lost my strength, that’s what I thought.”

A Diva that was hostile toward this mysterious Diva, Prophet. Who on earth could that be?

Was it possible for that Diva to pursue Prophet to here in Japan?

And then the prediction of the third Machia like in the Greek Mythology.

In Titanomachia it was a war against titans, and if Gigantomachia was a war against giants then——

The third Machia would be... what kind of person would become the enemy in that war?

While on this topic, Loki from Norse Mythology also predicted about Mythology WarRagnarok. Ragnarok and the third Machia. Was it a coincidence that two Mythologies predicted a battle in the same period?

“Inside you...” Prophet whispered faintly.

“Inside you, it seems there might be a possibility that you could overcome the enemy.”

The silver eyes of the Prophet immediately——faced towards Kazuki.

“You see what kind of complicated set of human and Diva these two are? ...That’s why we revealed their circumstance to you guys. We will entrust these two to the Witch’s Mansion. Starting from now, it has also become surveillance to these two.”

“It was also the same with Otouto-kun, but we welcome that kind of surveillance! If you ask me why, then it is because she is cutee!! It’s a surveillance in the name of love! I will do it with all my strength!!”

Kaguya-senpai hugged Lotte with all her strength. Lotte opened her eyes in surprise but then she returned the hug happily. Muu, Kaguya-senpai has been taken by the newcomer.

“There is one more thing... Amasaki Mio, Hayashizaki Kazuki, add this girl into your party.”

“Eh... EEHH!? In our party!?”

Kazuki had vaguely predicted this from Hoshikaze-senpai’s words this morning but... for Mio it was really shocking. Lotte was “Is it not okay...?”, making an anxious face because of that.

“Eh, no, it’s not that it’s not okay but... come on Kazukii”

“Lotte’s time with her contract is still not long but, she can already use summoning magic up to level 3. Prophet’s strength is still not perfect but on top of Lotte’s advanced skill in telepathy, her condition is also close with possession, that’s why her chanting is fast. She should compensate for the weakness of you guys.”

“Hee, let’s do a mock battle tomorrow to test it okay?”

Hoshikaze-senpai raised a voice filled with deep interest toward the unknown magician.

If the weak point of our party got filled then it was not a bad story.

Her strength was still deemed unsatisfactory to enter Kaguya-senpai’s party, so it seemed it was decided that she would be added to our party.

“Understood, we will accept her into our party happily.”

“Anime-oniisan! Thank YouDankeschön desu!”

Lotte suddenly separated herself from Kaguya-senpai and this time she flew into Kazuki’s chest——‘Chuu’ and then she pressed her lips at Kazuki’s cheek.

“Wha, what the!? What are you doing to Kazu-niii!?”

Mio eyes opened wide and raised a voice that was half-screaming.

Lotte then separated from Kazuki and this time she was also hugging Mio whose face was still stiff in surprise, then,

“Dankeschön Mio-oneesan! Please take care of me desu!”

She also kissed Mio’s cheek. Mio made a complex expression that was half angry and half shy. This was the way of a foreign country... was it really? Kazuki who didn’t know anything about the world outside didn’t understand.

“Did you prefer kiss on the lips? Should I redo it desu?”

When she noticed the two people was currently bewildered, Lotte tilted her head in wonder.

“There is no need to redo it! Ki, kiss on the mouth is a no! I mean any kind of kiss is no good!”

Mio ‘funfun’ with great force.

“...Why is that? Is it a strange thing to show feelings of gratitude using a kiss? Moreover... I clearly feel the happiness from both of you desu.”

“What do you mean by sensing our feeling... is it telepathy?”

For an expert of telepathy, they could even sense the feeling inside the subconscious of the other party.

Of course it was impossible to perceive everything from their heart though.

“Why does your mouth say no even though you are happy in your heart? What is this contradiction desu...?”

“Lotte, in Japan you must not kiss someone other than a person that is truly important to you. Especially a mouth to mouth kiss—a person that you’ll protect by betting your whole life, kiss is something that is filled by such an oath.”

“Oath! ...I see, so it is an act filled with important significance, isn’t it desu.”

Suddenly Kazuki recalled when he kissed Mio who fell because of Loki’s evil blade. Unintentionally he glanced at Mio’s face. ...That lips, he kissed that lips. He remembered that time [I’ll protect Mio no matter what], an oath was budding. Though it seems Mio didn’t remember it...

When Mio noticed Kazuki’s gaze, “Wha, what are you looking at?” she became embarrassed.

“...Hmm, though if I can say one thing, kissing Kazuki’s cheek like that, if Kanae-san was here in this place the we wouldn’t be able to guarantee Lotte’s life would we? Ahaha.”

Hoshikaze-senpai laughed strangely. ...It was troubling because it didn’t seem like a joke when he imagined it.

“I also——will pledge my allegiance towards you too.”

Prophet faced Leme and then waited upon her like a knight. Thereupon magic was invoked of its own accord in front of Kazuki’s eyes. As the ring emitted the light of magic power, an image of a graph floated up.

Amasaki Mio——127 Otonashi Kaguya——75 Hiakari Koyuki——49 Hoshikaze Hikaru——39

Lotte——35

The graph increased by one line!? Even though Lotte was not a contractor of Solomon 72 Pillar!

{I see, so this is what she meant. Truly, that this kind of thing happened... Interesting!}

Leme only talked to Kazuki inside his heart. It was a voice that only Kazuki could hear.

Kazuki recalled his conversation with Liz Liza-sensei inside the staff room——[With the ability of Lemegeton, in the case that you became friendly with a magician that has a contract with a Diva other than Solomon 72 Pillar, what would happen?]

Is that so, Sensei was confirming that based on this possibility.

“...My King! Keep to yourself this possibility that your conquering targets exceeds far more than 72 people!”

Part 3

“Let’s do a welcome party for Lotte-chan! With that said, Otouto-kun, make Lotte-chan’s favorite food! What do you want to eat Lotte-chan?”

“Eeeto, I want to try sushi, tempura, and tuuna, desu!”

——Because of that, today Kazuki had became an itamae.

“...You can even make sushi?”

Mio made an amazed face toward Kazuki who held a sashimi kitchen knife that resembled a Japanese katana.

“As you would expect, I have never made sushi before, but if it’s sashimi...”

If you talk about sashimi, it was a mistake if you thought it would be fine as long as the fish was fresh and you cut and lined it up just like that.

You had to cut the fish with optimum thickness and angle depending on the type of the fish. When you cut the fish using a sashimi knife, you need to take care not to destroy the meat’s cell as much as possible, and for that you need dexterity and technique.

However Kazuki had learned the art of cooking using magic power, <Alchemy Cooking>.

Using Extra Sense to perceive the cell tissue, Kazuki slid the blade, filled with magic power, which could make sashimi that would make even an expert weep in shame.

“...By the way I was uncertain about something. That maid uniform Mio wore, where did you get it?”

Kazuki glanced to Mio at his side while holding the sashimi knife.

Mio is wearing a maid uniform right now. Since she misunderstood Kazuki’s fascination about maids, she always wore a maid uniform every time they did housework in the Witch’s Mansion. Kazuki couldn’t calm down watching that.

“Where did... I made it myself though. I, like to sew you know.”

Now that she mentioned it, when she first introduced herself in the class she seemed to have mentioned something like that.

That so, this maid uniform was handmade was it?

Come to think of it, maid uniforms tended to become uncouth if they attached a lot of frill on it, but Mio’s maid uniform clung just right to her body and tightened her silhouette.

The legs peeking through her miniskirt were adorned with socks and garter belts that emphasized the softness of her thighs, the apron skirt hugged tightly to the height of her hips. Because of that Mio’s surprisingly big breasts were highlighted, and then ties from both sides of her chest was fastened to the bottom of her neck looking like it was pushing that bulge between them.

An aura of service radiated from the attire, completely changing Mio’s slightly impertinent aura.

Noticing Kazuki’s eyes, Mio’s eyes that usually had a confident allure in them was clouded by anxiety and shyness, then “How, how is it?” she inquired Kazuki.

“...It’s cute. It’s so cute that it is breaking the rules.”

“Really!? Hehehe, success!!”

Mio jumped around in happiness while a heart mark also flew up. Each time she jumped, the frills and miniskirt fluttered around. ...What is this super cute thing?

“Bu, but if you are beside me with that kind of appearance I won’t be able to concentrate! It’s okay if you don’t help out today, this is not a work where you can help. A kitchen is the world of men.”

“Why are you driving me away, saying things like that? ...We cannot be alone anymore in the quest so this time, even though as an assistant, is very precious...”

Even though Kazuki was holding a sashimi knife, Mio approached his side.

“Oi, you are in the way, it’s dangerous...”

“...Kazu-nii.”

Mio stood on her tiptoe and ‘chuu’ pressed her lips on Kazuki’s cheek.

It feels even more sweet and soft compared to Lotte’s kiss from before.

“This, this is I, because this is Lotte’s party this only meant as my best regards, that’s all! I only mean to ask you to treat me well once more... there is no other meaning!”

While covering her own mouth with her hand, she explained the meaning of her action with very fast talk and then ran out of the kitchen in a great panic. Kazuki was petrified while holding the sashimi knife in one hand.

“...Ca, calm down, me. Feel the cell tissue of the tuna with Extra Sense...”

Intense heat dwelled in the cheek where the lips touched. He couldn’t concentrate at all.

Colorful sashimi made from fresh fish were lined up on the dining table, and the tempuras were arranged dynamically to raise into the sky. Lotte’s green eyes shone brightly seeing that scene.

“AmazingKlasse! The beauty of Japan that I kept yearning for when I was laid sick reading an old book and watching old anime is right here desu...!!”

“I see...this is very interesting. I feel the happiness from the taste that goes through Lotte.”

Even though Prophet seem to be dispassionate, his way of talking somehow conveyed admiration.

“Hee, so Prophet can feel that kind of enjoyment. It’s impossible for me though to transmit the taste of this food to Baal, the Diva that I’m contracted with.”

Hoshikaze-senpai observed Prophet’s situation with a curious look.

“Is that so?”

“It’s because one pillar of Diva is contracted to a lot of Magica Stigma, therefore the connection with our Diva is not that strong. We can’t even have a private communication.”

“Uh huh, eating is wonderful! I’m glad that Kazuki is my King!!”

Leme who had a strong connection with Kazuki, and had the leisure to materialize freely, laughed loudly.

Lotte held her chopsticks awkwardly, she tried to grasp the fish with white flesh that had a thin structure but because she couldn’t capture it properly, she dropped it.

Lotte’s face turned pale because of her blunder of dropping the food, that was made for her, on the floor.

“My goodnessMeine Güte...using chopsticks is very difficult. I’m sorry, I think if I use telepathy to trace I can make my body learn immediately desu, but...”

Kazuki thought there was no need to be that ashamed so without a moment's delay, he took a sashimi from the side, applied some wasabi and soy sauce and then he held it to Lotte’s mouth.

“Here, Lotte. Aaan.”

Even though Lotte was ‘Aaan?’ confused of the meaning of the words, she soon understood and her cheek was stuffed, her expression became bright. And then a heart mark flew up.

“Dankeschö desu, Kazuki-oniisan!”

Like that, on reflex, Lotte kissed Kazuki’s cheek again. And then “I did it again” she realized what she was doing and restrained herself.

“She kissed his cheek while calling him onii-san... As expected if Kanae-san is here then Lotte’s life would be no more.”

“I don’t really follow but... I understand that it’s fine if this person called Kanae is not near desu.”

Lotte said that with a friendly grin toward Hoshikaze-senpai who showed a wry smile.

“Kazuki-oniisan, I want to eat that one next desu.”

Kazuki took the food that Lotte wanted and do “Aaan”.

Lotte opened her mouth obediently like a baby bird, then she chewed in happiness.

“Kazuki-oniisan, you look like my favorite butler when I lived in the castle desu...”

She faced Kazuki while ‘ehehe’ laughing, a heart mark flew toward Kazuki. Suddenly she embraced him.

“...Wait a minute Kazuki, whatever the circumstances may be, but haven’t you serviced her too much?”

“It’s no good to be that petulant, Mio-chan. After all this is Lotte-chan’s welcoming party.”

Kaguya-senpai teased from the side when Mio’s expression became huffy.

“I, I’m not petulant at all! Here Lotte, from me too, aaan.”

“Dankeschön desu Mio-oneesan!”

Lotte stuffed her cheek with the tempura from Mio, her smiling face became enchanted... Mio’s lips slackened seeing that. It was the face of an owner viewing his pet.

“...I wonder if this is the feeling if we keep a puppy in Kazu-nii and our house...”

“Oi, what kind of chemical reaction is happening inside your head?”

“Oniisan, I want to eat that red thing next desu. The legendary fish, tuuna!.”

“Your pronunciation sounds like De Niro from a while ago. It’s tuna, not tuuna.”

“Wait a minute Lotte-chan, Kaguya-oneechan also want to do ‘aaan’! Here.”

Kaguya-senpai forced her way in the middle and presented a food with ‘aaan’. However soon senpai’s smiling face turned evil. Just before Lotte could eat she pulled back the chopstick.

“U~, please don’t bully me, please feed me~”

While laughing with troubled expression, Lotte chased Kaguya-senpai’s chopstick.

“Just leave a bully like this alone, come eat from me. Here, aaan.”

Right there Hoshikaze-senpai arrived from the side and did ‘aaan’ to Lotte. Lotte ignored Kaguya-senpai with ‘puih’ and ate Hoshikaze-senpai’s offering. Kaguya-senpai whined “Aaah, I’ll feed you properly okay!” in a fluster.

Each time Lotte ate a mouthful, everyone scrambled with new food to present an ‘aaan’, Lotte was happy and eat them all in turn.

“...Everyone’s warm feeling is being transmitted through telepathy. I’m happy desu.”

——Before long Lotte’s small stomach reached the limit and she collapsed in heap.

“Uuuu... I want to chant reinforcement magic in my stomach desu...”

If we used Enchant Aura to our bodies, everyday would surely become a food fight.

“I wonder if it's fine to be this happy... It feels like a dream desu...”

Lotte who collapsed holding her stomach was surrounded by everyone of the Witch’s Mansion.

Even after the meals had finished, everyone continued talking happily with Lotte in the center.

Inside that circle——Kazuki suddenly noticed, Koyuki had been outside the circle for quite a long time.

“...Hiakari-san.” Kazuki nonchalantly moved beside Koyuki who continued to eat in silence.

“Kazuki...even though you don’t need to come expressly to confirm, today the food is tasty too. The thickness and the method of cutting are different on each type of fish, it's so fresh that it creates a spray of glistening juice.”

“No, I’m not looking for a review of the food! ...Come on, let’s talk a little with everyone.”

“I don’t have any such interest to the transfer student, there is also no reason to become one party with you.”

“...Why are you saying such lonely things?”

“That’s because I like being alone. I don’t know anything about what you call loneliness.”

“Lies.” Kazuki said decisively, Koyuki’s eyes were shaken.

She stared at Kazuki only for a moment, but soon her disturbed stare wandered around.

Why is Hiakari-san doing everything to corner herself into isolation?

She looked like a kitten that climbed a high place and then couldn’t get down.

“Yosh, Hiakari-san. Aaan.”

“I watched from some time ago, that ‘aaan’ thing was stupid...”

Koyuki averted her eyes from the piece of sashimi that Kazuki presented but because Kazuki persistently circled around her to chase her with the chopstick, Koyuki had no other choice except to eat the food.

“Yosh, next is tuna and avocado with wasabi cream tartar. This is the work I have confidence in, see.”

“That kind of food that plainly aim's for a foreigner’s taste... it’s delicious if I eat by myself I said!”

However, Koyuki ate all the food that Kazuki presented even though she kept exhaling deep sighs.

“...Kazuki, why do you keep ignoring my words...”

“Because Hiakari-san’s words are usually a lie, I have seen through them all.”

When Kazuki tried to give ‘aaan’ one more time, Koyuki shook her head while saying “I’m already full.” Kazuki knew that was not a lie and pulled back his chopstick.

“Thank you for the food. It was great, wasn’t it? A new comrade entered in your party.”

“I still want to party together with Hiakari-san though. Even far in the future this feeling will surely never change.”

“...Please give up, why do you keep ignoring that even though I keep saying it...”

Koyuki, her eyes down cast, had an angry look.

After the welcome party was over, Kazuki started to clean up everything.

When he imagined Mio doing the scrubbing and washing and making her hands rough, he felt that he couldn’t allow it, so Kazuki always took the job of washing voluntarily.

Rough hands came from damage that was piled up unconsciously, so defensive magic power couldn’t defend against it.

And then using <Alchemy Medical Treatment> to transmute the human body using magic from Base ParticlePrima Materia, it was possible that there would be unforeseen side effects when the human body was rearranged, as it was still an undeveloped field of study. Treatment for rough hands still did not exist.

The case where hardworking women had their hands turned rough——it was a tragedy that even in this age of magic and alchemy still couldn’t be avoided. I absolutely won’t allow the hands of the girls that lived in this mansion turn rough as long I’m the maid here...Kazuki resolved himself in his heart.

In the meanwhile, right now, the program had turned for the girls to enter the bathroom.

Usually the senpais had priority, but today Lotte was the first to enter the bath.

“Kazuki-oniisan!”

Suddenly Lotte’s voice was heard and Kazuki turned to look back, there a stark naked Lotte was running towards Kazuki, the sound of her steps rang out ‘petapeta’. ...Totally nude. Unintentionally, Kazuki dropped the plate that he was in the middle of washing.

“I’m sorry, onii-san. Can you tell me how to use the bath desu? I don’t understand one of the appliances... onii-san? Why do you avoid looking at me desu? Isn’t it impolite if you don’t look at people’s face when they are talking desu? Are you angry desu?”

Because Kazuki averted his face so he won’t look at Lotte’s nakedness, Lotte expressly circled around ‘petapeta’ to the direction Kazuki’s face was facing. A naked body of pure white fairy was reflected in Kazuki’s field of vision.

...Why did she show it expressly!? Why did she enter his field of vision expressly!?

“If it's Prophet he should be able to operate the appliance instinctively like when he drove the jet airplane desu but... for some reason when I turned naked he won’t reply even when I called him out desu. That’s why onii-san, please teach me. Because of this trouble, why don’t you also enter the bath together?”

Lotte sensed that Kazuki was not angry by using telepathy. The girl hugged Kazuki’s arm daringly and then pulled him. Her expression was absolutely pure.

...Come to think of it, the nobles of the middle ages always had retainers to change their clothes for them. It was even said that they didn’t have any shame toward people of the lower class.

That ‘aaan’ from before. Lotte might have mistaken Kazuki as her own butler.

In short Lotte didn’t see this side as a man. Despite that, if this side was the only side that looked at the girl’s nakedness as the opposite sex... it would soil the girl’s pureness.

Don’t look and fight the worldly desires, Kazuki whose expression tightened as if he had swallowed a bitter bug was pulled forcefully by Lotte into the bathroom. And then “This is the one.” She pointed to the bath water heater device controller that was installed in the wall.

“What the... this is a normal device that exists everywhere isn’t it?”

It was a normal electric hot-water heater that used electricity to boil hot water and also maintain the temperature.

In the present Japan, all-electric had been completely popularized, there was nothing that used gas anymore.

With the grace of alchemy, electric power had became an extremely cheap energy.

Lithium ion rechargeable battery was improved by alchemy, its capacity was expanded exceedingly, furthermore, it wouldn’t deteriorate even if it was recharged multiple times, this was called <Etherlight Rechargeable Battery>. With this invention, the large scale wireless electric transportation became possible, and realized the drastic low cost of electricity.

Because of the birth of Etherlight Rechargeable Battery, Japan’s domestic power generation system was changed completely. The present Japan’s electricity was provided in its entirety by the Solar Power GenerationArchimedes System in Japan’s southern tip territorial water on the Artificial Floating IslandMegafloat. Etherlight rechargeable battery was recharged by the power generator that made the best use of strong sunlight on the southern man-made island, and then it was carried to the mainland. This concentrated power generation brought about unprecedented efficiency of natural electricity.

The sunlight power generatorsolar system that was mainstream in Japan so far had the strong point that it was decentralized in small scale and could produce electricity. However, because electricity transportation had became really easy it was not used anymore.

When Kazuki explained how to use the electric water heater, Lotte was surprised with the automatic function of regulating the temperature of the hot water. She raised a voice of deep impression while her naked body was taken aback.

“It’s the first time I have seen something like this! It doesn’t use magic, isn’t it desu!!”

This time it was Kazuki’s turn to be surprised hearing those words.

“Do they heat the bath in Germany and Seinmundo using magic every time!?”

Certainly if they used pyrokinesis to produce and decrease heat energy, it wouldn’t be difficult to live without using a water heater. Kazuki had also used it before, using pyrokinesis as auxiliary heat when the time to heat water using the electric water heating device took too long.

“It seems the household of general public still used appliance desu but... the daily living in the royal court mostly are done using magic. The royalty must follow the state religion strictly and give an example to the people desu. There are even movements that promote to manage the appliance used by the general people more strictly. Even the Anime DVD and DVD Player in my room need to be hidden secretly desu.”

“Even so, things like DVD, Japan had not used those more than 10 years ago you know? It had became an antique item.”

The mainstream memory storage media in the present Japan was Ultrashort-wave Ray DiskURD. DVD, if remembered correctly it was even before Blue-ray DiskBD.

“If there is no machine, won’t it inconvenience the old people when their magic powers are weakening?”

“Yes desu, that’s so, but that was considered as natural providence. Humans are tied with other people spiritually by magic power, so magic power is thought as the basis of human right.”

Which reminds me of what Liz Liza-sensei said before, “In Europe, humans that were born with excellent magic power are considered as nobles, countries that revived the monarchy system are not few.”

People that lost their strength were weeded out from society and humans with excellent magic power became nobles. That was what they considered natural? ...If someone obtained a great power, they should protect the weak, wasn’t that the natural [feelings of being human] for sure?

“The jet airplane is great, the water heater is great... once again I realized how great Japan’s appliances are desu. There is even an appliance to boil the hot water... if only this existed back there, surely my dead grandpa could have lived in more comfort...”

“You mentioned about the strict compliance to the state religion, but are they really using faith as the reason to not use machines?”

“Yes. The Norse Mythology that Germany has faith in has the aim to remove the <Desire of Sparkling RichesGullveig> inside human’s heart. Probably there are even more strict demands of faith than this among the Magic Advanced Countries desu.”

“...Doctrine that denied machines are probably common among a lot of Mythologies. Because that was the symbol of human’s conceitedness, there are not many Mythology that could affirm such.”

Prophet’s avatar appeared beside Lotte and said so.

“...For what reason is it I wonder. It was so sad I can’t stand it desu.”

“How stupid huh. Whether its magic or machine, as long it's convenient then it’s fine to use it, that’s what Leme thought.”

Even Leme also materialized inside the confined bathroom.

Suddenly―Kazuki felt a cool sensation of passing air at his lower body.

“Lotte... why did you take off my pants inside the confusion?”

“Kazuki-oniisan, let’s enter the bath together. After all you don’t hate it, right desu?”

The totally naked Lotte cutely tilted her head―

“Lotte... In Japan you couldn’t show your naked body to the opposite sex, it’s no good unless you show it to a person where you have the relation of considering each other as a very precious person. On the basis of the relation between man and woman...”

Lotte showed a vacant expression, then in a blink of an eye, her expression was dyed with understanding.

“Relation of man and woman... I see, onii-san and me are man and woman, isn’t it desu? That kind of thing was irrelevant in my life until now so I completely overlooked the awareness of gender. I always thought such a thing surely only happened inside a love comedy anime...”

Lotte looked like she comprehended something and suddenly her face turned red.

“Don’t tell me that kissing on the cheek is not a sign of gratitude, but actually is something similar with romcom!? Perhaps I have turned into a really shameless character regarding onii-san!?”

Somehow even if she thought of Kazuki as one of the common people, it didn’t mean that she had no shame.

“I feel that you can’t differentiate reality at this point of time if you said something like ‘character’! But it’s okay, I don’t mind at all about such things!”

“By any chance this and this are parts that absolutely shouldn’t be shown to a man, is it!?”

“I don’t see it! I don’t see even a little bit of those parts!!”

“This is the first time since I was born that I made such a romcom blunder... How embarrassing desu! Please forget it!”

“Even though we already had a long talk until just now, you people are very surreal.”

Kazuki escaped from the bathroom in great panic while listening to Leme’s astonished voice.

“Good evening, Otouto-kun♥”

After Kazuki finished tidying up and back in his room, the figure of Kaguya-senpai clad in her Magic DressDécolleté Oblique was sitting on Kazuki’s bed. The color of her pupils were―changed slightly to a violet color.

“Senpai... are you perhaps in that condition?”

The influence of the Diva Kaguya-senpai contracted with, Asmodeus, occasionally amplified her [lewd feeling]. At that time, she would vent by embracing Kazuki.

However, it’s strange. When in the welcoming party today, senpai was still normal though...

“It’s not like that, though I wonder if it’s that kind of feeling.”

Senpai beckoned Kazuki while saying ambiguous thing, Kazuki sat on the edge of the bed, then Kaguya-senpai came and embraced him while a nice smell drifted in the air softly.

Embracing her in her magic dress form that had high exposure rate, the softness and warmth of senpai were transmitted directly. In this kind of situation, it couldn’t be helped that he was bothered by senpai’s breasts which were bigger than anyone else.

“Otouto-kun, today you were ‘chuuchuu’-ed a lot by Lotte-chan, weren’t you?”

Senpai stretched her hand while hugging Kazuki―and pinched the area around where Lotte’s lips touched Kazuki’s cheek. For some reason, it feels like it would be a breach of manners if the defensive magic power was activated for this kind of pain, there is no other way than to be resigned with this.

“Even at the best of times, recently Otouto-kun only care about his partner Mio-chan. Kaguya-senpai is very lonely and so lonely that she talked to the wall, hugging the pillar, harassing Hikaru-chan, doing all those things everyday, you see...”

“What the heck has senpai done to Hoshikaze-senpai...”

“That kind of Kaguya-senpai...in her loneliness of being ignored by Otouto-kun will monologue to herself in whisper though.”

Somehow senpai started talking about strange things.

“This is a story I learned from the people of the Knight Order in the location of a quest, it seems German’s Northern Europe Knight OrderEinherjar had already demanded for Japan to hand over Lotte’s own person. Of course if Japan hands over Lotte, what await a heretic is the death penalty, isn’t it?”

“―!?”

While Kaguya-senpai [monologue] to herself, she started to leak the Knight Order’s internal story.

“But of course Japan can’t comply with that demand right~? Even though they understand the person they handed over will be sentenced to death and yet still did it, the surrounding countries must not think that Japan has become friendly with Germany. Because Japan is [the only magic advanced country in the world that is not a religious country] you see.”

The like of religious magic advanced countries couldn’t live in harmony with each other.

But with [Mythology that didn’t demand faith], Solomon 72 Pillar as Japan’s war potential, Japan was the only exception among magic advanced countries that could maintain itself as a secular country.

In short, it also means that Japan is the only country [that could possibly form an alliance with other countries].

The other magic advanced countries had always observed Japan’s tendency with sensitivity.

If Japan’s distance with Germany was shortened, the other five countries would harbor needless doubt.

If Japan became an ally with Germany, the remaining five countries would turn into enemies.

Japan must show the humane stance of respecting the right of life of the refugee.

“It seems when there was no response of the demand of handing over Lotte without condition, Germany proposed to give compensation in return. If Japan handed over Lotte, Germany will dispatch their elite Einherjars to cooperate with Loki’s subjugation. Because in the first place as a Diva, Loki is supposed to be the hated enemy of Norse Mythology.”

In Norse Mythology, Loki was the existence that would cause the final war―Ragnarok.

“Japan really want that cooperation so badly to the degree that a hand will come out of its throat. However... if Japan simply accepted that cooperation, we will be looked down upon by the surrounding countries. A country that couldn’t solve its own problem by its own strength. That’s why we rejected that compensation too. After that, this time it’s fine whatever Japan does with Lotte, it’s fine even if they do it without any compensation, but Germany want to cooperate in Loki’s subjugation, it seems that was their next request.”

“Then in the end Lotte is going to be fine right?”

“They already stopped asking for Lotte’s return other than on [chance]. If we turned them down when they were already asking to that point, it would worsen our relation with Germany too much. Besides if this time, Japan accepted the cooperation with no strings attached, it is good enough to be shown to the public. Moreover, the Einherjar’s elite squad had already landed in Japan. The period of the cooperation is one month.”

Kazuki felt a chill running down his spine and felt impatience hearing Kaguya-senpai’s words.

I want to defeat Loki with my own hand. That was not for Kaya’s revenge.

If Kaya’s body stayed safe and all of Loki’s magic power that resided inside her body was destroyed completely, Kazuki thought that there was still some chance to save Kaya. That kind of possibility―Kazuki still held some hope of that.

“If it stays like this, Loki will be suppressed in the hands of the Knight Order. Of course the Knight Order and us, we are going to fight without holding back, mercilessly choosing to attack with overkill toward that girl’s body. That was justice. For Otouto-kun, he could only consent with that don’t you agree?”

“...Kaguya-senpai, it doesn’t look like monologue anymore you know?”

“Eh? Even though I’m just hugging a pillar and talking to a wall, but I heard Otouto-kun’s voice! I wonder if it is because I missed Otouto-kun too much!?”

However the current Kazuki didn’t have sufficient accomplishment to participate in a quest with connection to Loki. For the sake of rescuing Kaya... there was no more time to do everything slowly.

“Otouto-kun that should be able to show big accomplishment, but that form that couldn’t truly display his strength because he fussed over Mio-chan... I feel a little jealous you know. It’s no good if Otouto-kun doesn’t become greedier to [become strong]. If he is not like that then he would end up unable to protect anything.”

Became much stronger, but to achieve that...

“...For, for example, should Otouto-kun set out to conquer Kaguya-senpai more proactively? He absolutely should do that right!? Well, though Kaguya-senpai doesn’t see Otouto-kun other than a cute kouhai anyway!!”

...Did senpai already hear about the details of Leme’s ability from Liz Liza-sensei!?

“I feel that I have talked to myself a lot about the Knight Order and a maiden’s secret information. Well, there is no problem though because there is no one here anyway.”

“I am here though.”

“Someone that doesn’t care about me and only has his mind full with Mio-chan, the existence of that kind of person, I don’t know it at all~l. His basic human right is revoked. This is my hugging, desire dispersing & monologue-use thing.”

Kaguya-senpai said so while ‘gyuugyuu’ keep hugging Kazuki. To say a person as a thing that easily.

...If we reached the position like the party of Kaguya-senpai who was the academy’s strongest, a chance to participate in a quest where the party would be added directly to the Knight Order’s activity would also come. Like Kaguya-senpai who could get her hands on information that could only be obtained in the Knight Order’s site, like the inside information of the negotiation between Japan and Germany.

“Thank you very much for informing me... senpai.”

Kazuki had a feeling that there was something else that must be said other than gratitude, Kazuki extracted his body from Kaguya-senpai’s embrace. Kaguya-senpai’s body that was glued on his body until now entered his field of vision.

The black magic dress of Asmodeus that governed lust just barely covered senpai’s voluptuous body. It constricted her hips sensually... the personification of feminine’s charm, an existence like a cluster of pheromone was right in front of Kazuki.

“...Otouto-kun, compared to when hugging you, it was hundred times more embarrassing being stared fixedly like that in this form though...”

Kaguya-senpai blushed red and became bashful and troubled. At the same time a heart mark flew.

Conquering Kaguya-senpai. ...If she said that he need to be more proactive and set out to conquer a girl in this kind of appearance, then it must be okay to do whatever he wanted right? Kazuki’s head was in a state of chaos and he couldn’t say anything.

“Ge, geez, Otouto-kun! ...As expected forget those monologue before!!”

Kaguya-senpai that couldn’t stand Kazuki‘s gaze and silence stopped the conversation one-sidedly.

“No, it’s okay to remember the monologue about the Knight Order and Germany though!! Geez... shake off the shame at max!! Then, good night!!”

Kaguya-senpai stood up from the bed and ran off leaving the room.

Kazuki’s nervousness was released and he sunk into the bed weakly.

The cheek that senpai pulled was prickling. The positivity level floated in front of his eyes on its own.

Amasaki Mio―128 Otonashi Kaguya―79 Hiakari Koyuki―52 Hoshikaze Hikaru―41

Lotte―42

The German Knight Order came to defeat Loki. The most important thing was―there.

Although in a moment of carelessness the figure of Kaguya-senpai’s intense magic dress form floated behind Kazuki’s retina.

Chapter 3 – Quest, Re-challenge!

Part 1

“Recently Onii-sama is licentious! Lecherous Onii-sama!!”

“I never thought the day will come where you can say licentious...”

“Then, receiving private lessons from an older woman... what in the world does she plan to teach Onii-sama? Does Onii-sama plan to climb the stairs of adulthood!?”

A morning in the Witch’s Mansion―when Kazuki did special training with Hoshikaze-senpai, Kanae came out of nowhere.

“Kanae-san, you don’t need to be that nervous, I won’t take your big brother, okay? Besides Hayashizaki-kun doesn’t see me as a woman. We are friends, you see.”

With a clear, beautiful face that glittered with light, Hoshikaze-senpai soothed Kanae with eloquent speech.

“...Nii-sama, Kanae doesn’t understand at all what this [beautiful girl] is saying. If Kanae’s common sense is still normal, then this person is enough of a beauty, isn’t it?”

“Ahaha, what are you saying? Against some female like me... compared to me, your cuteness can’t possibly be expressed in words. Here, I’ll show you, so raise your head.”

Hoshikaze-senpai held up Kanae’s chin, and then she whispered while staring directly into Kanae's eyes. Toward that beautiful face which destroys the barrier of gender, Kanae’s eyes were stolen and she fell into a daze, and then suddenly "hah!" came to her senses.

“Nii-sama, this person is dangerous! There is a dangerous aura around her!!”

Kanae came clinging to Kazuki in fright, but Kazuki honestly understood that feeling.

In exchange for Kazuki’s instructions in sword skills, Hoshikaze-senpai gave Kazuki magic lectures. Yesterday, it was Kazuki’s turn to teach her sword skills, so today was Hoshikaze-senpai’s turn.

“Honestly, I was like Kanae, sometimes while I was teaching Hoshikaze-senpai, I was also charmed by her... I thought of senpai as a really charming woman.”

Hoshikaze-senpai blushed slightly due to Kazuki’s words, and a heart mark flew from her.

However she soon shook her head lightly, “Geez, stop it already―” and laughed it away.

“Hayashizaki-kun, it’s no good to be too kind, okay? If you said that kind of thing to everyone, then when the crucial time comes, your precious person won’t be able to believe that word anymore!”

With a scolding tone, Hoshikaze-senpai flicked Kazuki’s forehead .

“Onii-san, so you are in this kind of place desu. Good morning!”

Suddenly a bright voice came from the direction of the mansion, the figure of Lotte in her uniform approached.

“I didn’t see onii-san anywhere, so I searched for you. I want to talk with Onii-san... about the matter of yesterday evening. I don’t mind about the nakedness! I want to talk to clear the air between us desu!”

Hoshikaze-senpai exclaimed “Naked?” blinking her eyes in surprise.

This is bad, Kazuki thought. This is the worst timing.

“Ni, Nii-sama, what the hell is this about―?! Even though you have me but to make another little sister somewhere else... also what is that about, the nakedness of yesterday evening―!?”

Kanae trembled ‘buruburuburu’ like a volcano just before eruption, and ‘gogogogogogo’ shaking like crazy.

―Toward the howling Kanae, Kazuki desperately explained about the matter of Lotte as the special transfer student and the force majeure of yesterday evening. However, Kanae ignored all of that and drew her kodachi and a dangerous smile floated on her face.

“...Nii-sama... for a long time Kanae wanted to face Nii-sama seriously...”

“I, I have a feeling that I’m going to lose for the first time in a while against today’s Kanae...”

Lotte watched the sibling's face alternately, then she looked down downheartedly.

“Does my existence somehow disturbed Onii-san’s complex human relationships desu...?”

“Calm down, Kanae-san. It was just about increasing the number of comrades in the Witch’s Mansion.”

“I won’t accept it! ...This puppy-like foreigner, does she have befitting strength to be included in MagicaMagic Division Student Council!? Even though it looked like I was staying quiet, I only allowed Amasaki Mio and Hiakari Koyuki to stay at Nii-sama’s side because they are competent. I recognized them, but only limited for staying at Nii-sama’s side!”

Kanae had the personality of not opening up her heart other than towards people with real strength. Kaguya-senpai was another matter, for her to also evaluate Mio and Koyuki that highly... it was unexpected.

“Competent? ...Someone who is not strong is forbidden to stay beside Nii-sama desu...?”

“Yosh, her real strength will be tested personally by this me―!”

Kanae held her kodachi with an expression like a Shura toward Lotte, who was puzzled. At a glance, this scene looked like a one-sided bullying. At that moment―a person cut in.

“Wait!”

A vivid voice came from the interval between the trees that surrounded the Witch’s Mansion.

From the opposite side of the voice, The figure of first year swordsman, Hikita Kohaku, appeared like an actress entering the stage.

“...Fufufu, there is no need for Kanae-kaichou to expressly come out for that puppy. The duty of testing the hooligans clinging around Kazuki, one’s self will be the one to accept it!”

Kohaku appeared while puffing her chest grandly―however, Kazuki couldn’t hold back from retorting.

“...You, did you hide in that bush while peeping on our situation?”

“Tha, that, one’s self had business with Kazuki but because of nervousness, one’s self couldn’t catch the timing to come out... that, the truth is yesterday, one’s self kept worrying how to get along with Kazuki, however...”

Kohaku presented the huge package that she kept holding in both her hands, in front of Kazuki.

“One’s self had a good idea of appealing as a seasoned good wife! Kazuki, one’s self had made a bento so come with one’s self to eat lunch together today! Then let’s get married!”

“Hayashizaki-kun, you had finished my portion of the lunch box, haven’t you?”

The moment when Kazuki was going to accept the lunch box, Hoshikaze-senpai said something that was best left unsaid.

“Wha, what... for a manly person like Kazuki to have that family-oriented side in him... it is outside one’s self calculation...”

Kohaku’s face turned pale, the bundle of lunch box was dropped with ‘gashan’ a crashing sound.

“Kohaku! You bastard, you planned to butter up Nii-sama huh!? Forget that, what is this about, marriage!? Explain it in detail!! Nii-sama will marry his little sister!!”

Kanae’s complexion changed and she threatened Kohaku. No, there was no way he would marry his little sister.

“Humph, Kanae-kaichou who had already wagged her tail to Otonashi Kaguya of Magic Division has no right or anything to question the action of one’s self who is focused on the future of sword skills. Forgive one’s self rudeness, but please stay out of this.”

“Wagging my tail to Kaguya!? Wh, whwhwhwho the hell is wagging her tail to that kind of person!! Sure, recently I am in the same party as her, I have also recognized her strength, but I hate that girl!!”

While swinging her hand around like the tail of cat in panic, Kanae bared her fang and yelled.

“What a tsundere. Even though in the student council room you talk about nothing but Otonashi Kaguya or Kazuki... rather than that matter, what matters now are these hooligans who are approaching Kazuki!”

Kohaku belligerently grinned and glared at Lotte.

“...I feel a strong hostility desu. In short, if I fight this person and win, then it will be okay for me to stay at the Witch’s Mansion with everyone, right desu? ...Then, let’s do it desu!”

Unexpectedly, Lotte showed a burning spirit and glared back at Kohaku with flaring eyes.

“This kind of thing is one’s self strong point! Summoning Magic is nothing to be afraid of, one’s self will show the skillfulness of one’s own sword style!”

Acting in concert with Lotte’s spirit, Kohaku increasingly roared.

Kazuki was lost whether he should stop this fairly useless quarrel. However―

“I wanted to do a mock battle around today to witness Lotte’s magic, so isn’t this a godsend?”

Hoshikaze-senpai was “Ahaha” laughing without care, the matter of the fight between the two was settled.

There was still enough time until the morning assembly, so like that, the four people moved onto the grounds.

“Because the student council president of Sword Division, Kanae, is here... it’s okay even without the acknowledgement of Kaguya-senpai, isn’t it?”

“This is not a formal duel that influences the ranking. Kaguya is weak in the morning, so she is still sleeping while drooling, you know. It’s fine as long as we, the judges don’t let anyone get hurt.”

And then Kohaku, the strange swordsman that carried seven katanas, and Lotte, the princess of another country, faced each other while separated by a distance of 50 meters. Lotte chanted her incantation and called out Prophet.

“Veritas me LiberabitThe truth shall set me free••••••the wise man who became father the protector of humanity, show that wisdom right here.”

Along with a light, the girl’s uniform was changed into her Magic DressDécolleté Oblique. The magic dress that covered her white smooth milky skin was a bikini that only hid the little surface of the girl’s chest and lower body. It was strangely dull compared to all the Magic Dress that Kazuki had seen until now.

Kohaku drew one of her katanas among the seven that she carried. It seems she wouldn’t use several katanas at once.

“Yosh. Then, begin!”

Kohaku ran at Hoshikaze-senpai’s signal, and Lotte chanted her spell.

“Howl! Civilization teach human destruction! The roar of wisdom scorch thy body, break, shut those dignity below the rubble!! The Opening Curtain of the Age of Black SteelMitrailleuse!”

That chanting speed was exceedingly short, immediately light concentrated on Lotte’s right arm. The light was―transformed into a gatling gun almost as long as Lotte’s own body.

“...!?” Toward that sight, even Kohaku opened her eyes wide, dumbfounded.

“Heavy firearms!? Is that kind of magic possible!?”

Originally, weapons couldn’t pierce magic power, it didn’t have the power to kill or wound magicians. Toward the defensive magic power that distorted reality, nothing would pierce it unless it was a weapon that was filled with the same magic power.

Swordsman magic sword could pierce magic power, because of the swordsman's trained Enchant Aura. It had the effect of stretching until the blade of the swordsman's beloved sword because the swordsman was so familiar with it, that it could be even said that it is a part of their own body.

However it was hard to endow magic power to a projectile weapon type, not to mention heavy firearms. Even a bow and arrow―not only hard, but it was supposed to be impossible. Many alchemists tried to experiment whether it was impossible or not to endow scientific weapons―like nuclear weapon, but only a history of failures have appeared.

“Prophet... Fire!”

‘ZUDADADADADADADA!’A thunderous roar that split the eardrum were scattered as the gatling gun spouted fire. Kohaku ran diagonally just before the firing and avoided the line of fire, however no matter how fast she ran, Lotte only needed to shift the muzzle a little for the bullet to keep chasing her. It was a violent rapid-fire unlike the single shot Barrett, avoiding this was impossible even for Kazuki.

All those bullets were filled with magic power. Kohaku’s defensive magic power was smashed-up looking like it was gouged with countless holes. But Kohaku pressed on despite the shock of her smashed magic and charged toward Lotte.

After the bullets were strewed around to a certain extent, it was cut off and the gatling gun disappeared.

“In a glance, one shot of that seems to be fairly weak, isn’t it? It doesn’t have any power to stop a swordsman, but it’s power to disrupt the concentration for chanting a spell is high. It’s also interesting that as long as there are bullets remaining, it will stay in her hand like my Thunder God Bow.”

Hoshikaze-senpai analyzed from the side. Occasionally, she seemed inattentive, but she was a person that could think fast.

“...Mitrailleuse!”

Lotte immediately finished her second spell. Once again a storm of gatling gun bullets swept over toward Kohaku from the front, but Kohaku unmindfully charged ahead and raised her katana.

“One’s self can’t be stopped by an attack only to that degree!”

“Wisdom accumulated over the course of human history, armored my body over and over! Heavily, thickly, reject all brutality! Radiant Steel Mobile ArmorSeusenhofer!!”

A large armor appeared on top of Lotte’s simple Magic Dress along with a bright light. Kohaku’s strong slash was ‘Gakin!’ repelled by the armor with solid brilliance.

“Heavy armor defensive magic! That’s pretty solid. But I wonder if the gap between it was the weak point?”

Just like what Hoshikaze-senpai pointed out, that armor didn’t cover the whole body.

Kohaku sheathed her sword in a flash and immediately choose from her seven swords and drew out the shortest wakizashi. This swordswoman had the skill to accurately aim the gap between the armor.

On the other side, Lotte took some distance from Kohaku with nimbleness unthinkable for such heavy equipments while bullets keep raining on her. Her side could quite possibly already not be thought of as the way of fighting of a magician

“Kohaku’s reaction regarding the bullets is fast… Kanae, does Kohaku know how to predict the magic power?”

“That girl’s Shinkage-style seems to be practiced with the premise of fighting a magician. It’s not organized nearly as practical as our style’s [Foreseeing] but… she seems to compensate that with her considerable [Wild Intuition] to take evasive action.”

The gatling gun broke Kohaku’s magic power. Even so, Kohaku didn’t let Lotte escape, chased her, and stabbed the point of her sword into the gap of the armor. Kohaku tried to disturb Lotte’s spell chanting with that damage but―with Lotte’s chanting speed as the opponent, it was difficult.

“This hand reached toward Babel’s height, now this hand grasped God’s thunderbolt! In accordance with my life, oh lightning, whirl at your will! Super Electromagnetic BarrierCollider Field!!”

Lotte’s level 3 magic―Lotte’s left hand was armed with a large gauntlet. Her armored body, with her right hand holding a gatling gun and her mechanical gauntlet in the left hand, drew an imposing figure.

The more Lotte chanted magic―the more that delicate body would be covered with weapons.

“Prophet… blitzz!”

At the same time with Lotte’s shout, the gauntlet armament scattered some sparks ‘BIRIRI’ and radiated light.

On the center of Lotte’s left palm― a lightning barrier was taking form. Kohaku who didn’t have any method other than close range combat, was caught by that net barrier, so she stepped back while taking a huge damage.

Close range combat was difficult as long she was kept in check by that gauntlet.

“Damn… don’t make light of one’s self!”

Kohaku sheathed her wakizashi and pulled out a different katana. Was there any kind of meaning in that action?

Kohaku was thinking while keeping that position, then her face warped in frustration and she sheathed that katana again.

“Kohaku still has a trump card… but she choose not to use it here huh.”

Kanae whispered so. …Trump card.

Now that she mentioned it, Kohaku said before that she had a countermeasure toward opponents that had resistance against a sword.

Did that countermeasure have the flexibility to break the deadlock of this situation where it could be said that the swordsman's moves had been sealed?

“Both of you still have magic power left but… if you continue to fight more than this, then it will obstruct your class, right? This is over! …Shall this become Lotte’s win by decision?”

Hoshikaze-senpai stopped the battle with a somewhat awfully pragmatic reason.

“Does this mean, it’s fine for me to stay together with all the big brothers and big sisters here desu!?”

Lotte who was still covered in her armaments rushed over to Kazuki with ‘GASHAAN-GASHAAN’ noise. Uwaa… it’s scary somehow! “Onii-san, why do you run away desu!?”

“Nuuu… one’s self real strength is only this much… Kazuki, it’s vexing but one’s self will come again! Someday you’re going to eat one’s self bento, farewell!”

Kohaku who was crouching because of her damage, hit the ground once in frustration, then she turned her body swiftly and left from that place.

“Charlotte Liebenfrau is contracted with a different Diva than Solomon 72 Pillar.

In other words she is legally an illegal magician but… according to the result of her psychology test and telepathy scan, etc. there was no trace of intrusion in her mind. Because it was considered that there was almost no danger, she was entrusted to our school to be monitored. Around that area, it was similar with the rank E trash―Hayashizaki Kazuki.

Diva’s traits differed based on the Mythology they belonged to. Solomon 72 Pillar that we handle, have a lot of magic that are really magic-like. In addition to that, battle tactics like the Heaven and Earth Formation was developed but, Charlotte’s contracted Diva is a fairly different type. Watch carefully, it will be useful when fighting unknown Diva. In addition, there are also some worth to watch the girl’s chanting speed. Now you should be prepared when it come's time for you to face against the magic of DrivePossession Summoning. Use that for reference too.”

At Lotte’s first practical magic class since transferring to this school, Liz Liza-sensei introduced one part of Lotte’s special characteristic to the students. As expected, the matter about being a refugee was not touched.

Lotte deployed her Magic Dress, then fired her gatling gun for real, after that, the classmates surrounded Lotte with gleaming eyes of interest. Basically the students that aimed to become knight's for real were gathering, so there was no frivolous atmosphere at this kind of time. Kazuki who had already witnessed Lotte’s magic, was outside that circle and inquired from Liz Liza-sensei:

“Liz Liza-sensei… Lotte will compensate the weak point of our party, but”

The attack magic that Lotte had shown so far were bullets and electric shock. For Kazuki and Mio who had few attack patterns, the new attack patterns were added with Lotte’s joining. But…

“Could we fight an enemy who is resistant to heat with the party consisting of me, Mio, and Lotte? Aren’t fire and electric shock, any of them was [heat] in the end…”

“Trash, it would be good for you to experience getting shocked once. If you observed the wound, you will understand the differences for sure.”

Liz Liza-sensei returned a harsh reply towards Kazuki’s question,

“Electric shock burn has two aspects. First, it’s certainly just like you said, it produces heat damage but, in contrast with the normal burn that is produced on the outside body, the electric shock burn inside the body’s interior has some difference with the spot that was burned by heat. That’s why in the case of facing against an enemy with strong skin or armored body, using electric shock to inflict damage from their inside can be said to be effective.”

Kazuki was reminded with that red slime. That slime, he couldn’t see the difference between its surface or its inside. This lesson was not applicable to that case.

“One more thing, an electric shock can also destroy living things nervous system. Many living things operate their body structure like muscle using electric signals. A strong electric current will exert large influence against that activity. If you apply electricity to a human, his heart will stop. Do you think someone with their heart stopped can move? Like ventricular fibrillation and AED. Why can patients with paralyzed hearts be resuscitated with an electric shock? It is because the muscle composition of the heart moves using electric signals.”

Kazuki was immediately reminded of Hoshikaze-senpai’s reinforcement magic, [Thunder God Body FlickerRide Lightning] that strengthened the whole body muscle and nervous system. "I see, so electricity also has that kind of effect".

“What came out in the quest that you guys accepted the other day… it was slime according to the report. How do you think that slime’s body can move? Of course slime doesn’t have any muscle and it is formed by mucus, but what is the source of those mucus’ operation? The study of Demon Beast’s ecology is still not progressing, but at least from my real life experience, electricity was effective against slime. The moment strong electric current flowed, the slime was shaking intensely because of the vortex of abnormal electric signals. Before long, it couldn’t maintain its body’s activity and was scattered and turned into just a mucus. Interesting right? They look like they came out of fantasy, but surprisingly, they are not some separate existence that ridiculed our logic. It is a very interesting lesson.”

“You said those slimes use the same system as human's to move their body around!?”

“Maybe. Even though it was scattered around, it was still possible for them to act. That was its core that transmitted electric signal so the mucus that make its composition can gather back. It seems that a slime is a colony of living things linked with each other.”

“Now that sensei mentioned it, Hiakari-san also said that she killed the slime by drowning it…”

Breathing by taking in oxygen and moving their body by electric signals, it was really a [living thing].

“It turned into a good lesson huh, teacher will give a blessing of special knowledge to students who ask.”

Liz Liza-sensei’s tone was harsh but inside, she was a gentle person. She then stood on her tiptoe and knocked on Kazuki’s head.

“With your party right now, there should be no more problem clearing the previous quest where you failed. It’s fine even if you re-challenge the quest over the weekend. Remember, it’s also for the sake of keeping Amasaki Mio’s rank.”

Part 2

Suppress the Demon Beast that lived in the forest of the Haunting Ground that spread out in West Tokyo, and liberate the forest―

Kazuki and the others applied to re-challenge the quest that they failed during Golden Week.

There was no class in the Knight Academy on Saturday, but this holiday was not spent to play. It was recommended for the knight cadets to challenge the quest in their spare time.

Kazuki and the others headed to the station after taking their meal at the Witch’s Mansion.

The traveling method to perform the quest was mainly using rail transport. Thanks to the magic light train to travel inside the metropolis area and the new type Shinkansen to travel outside the city, the time needed to travel didn’t take too long. Of course the cost was burdened by the academy.

Quests were done for the sake of the students' growth to become knights. It was linked with the class work.

“Will it really go well by just adding me to the party?”

In the middle of their walk to the station, Lotte came to ask Kazuki anxiously.

Kazuki was interposed between Lotte to his left, and Mio to his right, The three of them walked down the road.

“It’s reassuring to have Lotte with us. It’s going to be ok this time around when the red slime comes out like last time.”

“Then I will always keep the electric magic in standby desu.”

It seems the armament that Lotte produced with her magic would continue to be equipped as long the number of bullet or energy remained. If she prepared it beforehand, she could move to attack immediately without needing to chant the spell.

The destructive power was lowered but it could be said that it was a fairly convenient magic for quests.

…Once again Kazuki recognized anew the importance of using various magic to respond against different circumstances. If only he could use Lemegeton’s power more skillfully…

“Kazuki, that, look there.”

Suddenly Mio pulled Kazuki’s sleeve and pointed her finger to one side of the street corner.

At the shopping street before the station, the [Knights] in their white uniform with the coat of arms attached to it, were walking.

This group of several knights were investigating by collecting information in the vicinity of the Knight Academy.

Most likely the Knight Order was searching where Loki was hiding.

Loki hid while taking along the illegal magicians who lost their sanity, so there should be some sign of them somewhere for sure. Interviewing witnesses should be fairly effective. If the knights kept collecting information about the area with connection to Kaya and Loki steadily, the possibility of obtaining related testimony to Loki was not low.

“…Hey, I wonder if that [Black Knight] mixed with the other white uniformed knights is the one mentioned at the news, the knight from Germany’s Knight Order?”

Mio noticed it and whispered.

Among Japan’s Knight Order’s group who were wearing white uniforms, a person wearing black was mixed in.

Only one head looked taller than the heads around her and that face’s facial features had the appearance of a foreigner.

It seems the uniform of Germany’s Einherjar was black.

“I heard that they had arrived in Japan but… it only feels real after witnessing it directly like this.”

Kazuki had already heard this information from Kaguya-senpai one step ahead though.

A few days after that night, the news of the Einherjar’s arrival in Japan spread even to the world at large.

Cooperation to subjugate Loki with the leading power of North Europe, Germany’s Einherjar. It was a cooperation set for one month.

With the current situation where Japan had severed all diplomatic relations, the coming of a foreign knight was a major event.

Of course the undisclosed circumstances of the negotiation between Japan and Germany was hidden from the news.

“…” Besides Kazuki, the refugee Lotte was cowering because of the German knight’s presence.

“It’s okay. She is not chasing Lotte, she only came here to defeat the Diva named Loki.”

Kazuki tapped the shoulder of the shivering Lotte ‘ponpon’ lightly.

“Tha, thank you very much, Kazuki-oniisan.”

Lotte made a smiling face that seemed forced, then came clinging on Kazuki’s arm like she was depending on him. A flying heart mark came from her chest.

“…muu.” For some reason Mio also let out a moan and hugged Kazuki’s opposite arm.

…It’s hard to walk. While three people were sticking to each other, they continued along the street to the station without minding the knights.

Facing those three people, Germany’s female knight, wearing a black uniform, stole a glance toward them… Kazuki had such a feeling.

“…Chih. Isn't this the Knight Academy brats who ran back home immediately the other day?”

When they arrived at the gate of the Haunted Ground, the soldier who kept guard spat out such a thing.

“Forgive us from the last time. But this time, we reinforced our party properly, so we will be showing results.”

At Kazuki’s words, the guard saw Lotte’s figure, “Caucasian? How rare…” and his eyes opened wide. It was a discourteous manner of speaking but [Caucasian with Japanese citizenship] in truth, was a rarity.

In any case, Kazuki and the others passed through the station gate and into the inner part of the Haunted Grounds.

A short while after passing the gate, the scenery was just a normal forest and there was no sign of the Haunted Ground.

The Haunting Ground’s location was even further inside than before. There was no mistaking that this was because of Koyuki’s great effort. As the number of Demon Beasts inside a Haunted Ground decreased, the original nature would also revert back.

―Then the battle started. Kazuki protected Mio and Lotte from the attacking slime that came one after another. As the rearguard, Mio’s flame magic burned away the slimes.

As they defeated the Demon Beasts, their surroundings were also turned back little by little into the original nature of a forest.

“―Prophet… blitzz!”

The red slimes who were strong toward heat were lured to Lotte’s surrounding, they were then imprisoned inside the electric barrier and brought down in one go. The slimes who received lightning were, borrowing Liz Liza-sensei’s words, it was like the acute heart paralysis of a heart patient shaking fiercely in unsteadiness, ‘PAN!’ the mucus scattered everywhere and the curtain of their body’s activity were closed.

“Kyaa!”

Maybe because they were allowed to get too close, a little of the scattered red slimes splashed onto Mio and Lotte.

Kazuki instantly remembered Mio from before. That liquid―was a poison that affected the mind.

“Are you guys okay!? You guys were only splashed by a little though.”

“Yes… It’s okay if it’s only about this much…”

Mio replied with a blushing face and slurred tone. Then without reason, she came clinging on Kazuki while hugging his arm sweetly. Lotte did the same thing and also came to hug Kazuki while mumbling ‘funyafunya’.

…Isn’t this turning into a dicey situation?

Both of them were in their Magic Dress that had a high exposure rate, so Kazuki, who was being clung to, turned uneasy.

“The place we passed through before had a lake, so let’s go there to wash off the mucus.”

“It’s fine to take a break while getting intimate with Kazu-niii―. Happyy♪”

“I don’t understand but I’m so happy desu♪ Everything okayyy♪”

“Wake up you two! No matter how you look at it this is a no no! Come on, let’s go.”

Kazuki held their shoulders and led them to the lake.

He pushed them both to the watering place then sat down on the base of a nearby tree.

The Demon Beasts around this area were mostly exterminated, once it was a muddy swamp but it reverted back into a clear lake. Mio and Lotte soaked in the water while in their Magic Dress and cleaned up the mucus in their body.

With Lotte frolicking around by throwing water at Mio as the start, they both started to splash water at each other while laughing cheerfully.

“Kazuki you too, come here!”

“No, it will be troublesome if my uniform gets wet.”

It’d be fine if he uses psychokinesis to shake off the drops of water, and pyrokinesis to dry off later but… both of them were wearing flimsy Magic Dress, while he was wearing a uniform that consist of shirts topped with a jacket. It’d take too much time.

Using the opportunity when Mio called out to Kazuki, Lotte threw water at Mio’s face. Mio soon returned fire in revenge. Both of their hair and body were wet with water and sparkled brightly.

Both of their Magic Dress were designed to expose most of their skin and body line as it is.

Their skin emitted glossy smoothness because of the wetness. Their feminine body stood out in three dimension. A lovely sight could be seen out of their soaked body along with their beauty.

Their alluring navels and thighs and Mio’s wet chest, pulled Kazuki’s gaze… he shook his head in guilt because he stared at them both with a strange look.

“…Don’t play too long―!”

Kazuki said that and then turned his back.

Really, a Magic Dress was poison to the eye even under normal circumstances. Now it was even more so. But it was an outfit for the sake of fighting that’s why, he was disqualified as their comrade in arms if he had wicked thoughts like this too often.

This was only a little rest time, but Kazuki wished that it would end soon.

But the instant he turned his back, the scream of those two girls reverberated.

Kazuki turned back in panic, and from the surface of the lake, a gigantic―Demon Beast resembling a sea anemone’s face came out. Several squirming tentacles were stretching and headed towards the two girls!

“Prophet… Fire!”

Lotte sensed the abnormality and quickly chanted her spell but the bullets were fired blindly.

On the other, hand Mio was caught by the tentacles and were binding her wet body.

“Wa, wait! I really hate tentacleee!!”

At some of the sea anemone’s tentacles, there were some traces of being sliced, tentacles that were cut short were being regenerated in the same place. There was no mistake, this was the master of those tentacles that attacked Mio from the quest before.

“Mio! …I won’t let these tentacles do as they please!!”

When Mio was only a hair breadth away from being groped by the tentacles, all the tentacles were bisected in a flash and in one go by Kazuki’s Iai draw.

“Ka, Kazu-nii! Thank you! Saying things like [I won’t let these tentacles do as they please to my Mio]… ehehe.”

A heart mark flew from Mio to Kazuki after being saved from her predicament.

…’My Mio’, I don’t remember saying that though.

“Hurry with the spell chant!” Kazuki scolded her, and with that Mio replied “Yes!” then switched to her battle mode. Hearing that reliable reply from his back, Kazuki focused on mowing down the tentacles that kept aiming at Mio and Lotte one after another.

These tentacles… why did it only aim at girls!? Which Mythology’s influence was this!?

Kazuki’s katana and Lotte’s bullets couldn’t inflict any fatal wound to such a gigantic Demon Beast. However…

“This debt from before… I’ll return it now! These pervert tentacles!! Blazing Wings!”

Mio was able to finish a high level magic chant because of Kazuki’s protection, wings of flame spread out and she leaped into the sea anemone. Countless tentacles along with the main body were swallowed by the wings of flame― it became the finishing blow. Heaven and Earth Formation. In the end, what decided the battle was the high level summoning magic.

“We did it, Kazu-nii!”

Mio raised an excited voice and came to hug Kazuki. The chest that he stared at strangely not long ago was now pushed softly into his body.

“Do, don’t hug me when you are like this!”

“Why?”

“…My uniform will get wet, see.”

Kazuki averted his eyes from the soaking wet Mio and looked around his surrounding. …It seems this sea anemone was the last big game in this area as the lake’s surroundings have returned to beautiful nature.

“Looks like this area has mostly been liberated, doesn’t it…. Let’s go a little a deeper in when the Magic Dress dries, okay?”

Before, this place was an extremely large Haunted Ground. Now it had been fairly narrowed up to this size.

If they keep this pace, it was possible that they could liberate this forest completely today.

Mio and Lotte also harbored that presentiment, they agreed to Kazuki’s proposal.

When they advanced deeper into the Haunted Ground, its atmosphere as well as the type of Demon Beasts appearing were also changing.

The dense foliage interrupted the sunlight, making the surroundings gloomy. From the darkness of the gap of the trees, ivy leaped out entwining, and Demon Beasts came out in a surprise attack.

The Demon Beasts that prepared the surprise attack were the ferocious types that resembled wild beasts.

For example, the monkey type Demon Beast that leaped out from the interval of the trees and attacked with sharp claws. An average swordsman wouldn’t be able to catch their speed and would get mangled one-sided.

However Kazuki foresaw those movements and ended their lives by using lightning fast Iai draw.

For example, the wild boar type with their steel-like skin. Its raging charges possessed terrible destructive power, physical attack or the heat of flames couldn’t pass their hardened skin.

Lotte’s electricity however was able to scorch the inside of its hard skin.

Mio from the rear, supported using attack magic, striking the large type Demon Beasts using level 5 magic.

The Demon Beasts that had their life snuffed out were reduced into black magic power and disappeared one after another.

This forest is a place where one couldn’t be careless, but the balance of the party was very good. If he wanted to be greedy, Kazuki would have wanted one more vanguard so he could also chant magic at a critical moment, but…

Kazuki could use Phoenix’s magic up to level 6 as the result of increasing Mio’s positivity level. But because Kazuki fights by himself at the front-line in this three man party, he didn’t have any spare time to chant magic. The Magica Stigma inside Kazuki felt a little irritated because of that.

When they progressed deeper into the forest, they found a stone stair that climbed a small hill. The height was not to the degree of climbing a mountain, but at the top of the stone stair, there was a space that opened up.

There was a torii erected at the open space and through that torii, was a shrine. Its brilliant scarlet color was lost due to the Haunted Ground transformation, the whole body of the shrine was black. It originally enshrined a local Shinto deity. This place was supposed to be a tranquil sacred location, but an ominous heavy atmosphere was now pressing down.

The moment they stepped in there, fox type Demon Beasts leaped out from the surrounding forest. Kazuki instantly intercepted their lightning fast charge with his Iai draw, but at that instant―

“Kuu…!”

―The fox's golden hair scattered ‘biriri’ sparks around!

A barrier that really resembled the magic that Lotte used. The electricity was flowing through the Katana and into Kazuki.

Kazuki’s defensive magic power was consumed and the electricity had no effect but when a defensive magic power extinguishes a phenomenon, the backlash called the <shock of smashed magic> occurs.

Because of that, Kazuki’s swordmanship was disturbed.

The fox slipped out from Kazuki’s Iai draw and rammed into his body.

Kazuki twisted his body and somehow evaded the attack.

But even with only that, Kazuki’s work was already finished.

“Prophet… Fire!”

“Barrett!”

The fox who missed its attack was hit by the bullets of the gatling gun and the flame bullet successively. That body turned into black magic powder and disappeared.

“Hm, the atmosphere of the enemy changed the moment we entered this place.”

“…At a place with especially thick magic power even inside the Haunting Ground like here, there should be a Sacred Treasure around!”

Mio pointed at the direction of the shrine and raised an excited voice.

Sometimes there were discoveries of <Sacred Treasure> at the Haunting Grounds. A man made thing located here was transformed by the thick magic power’s influence, or possibly magic power was condensed and formed the Sacred Treasure from nothing. In the end, it turned into magic items of Mythology in this world.

Sacred Treasure had a distorted foundation that was impossible even with alchemy. It sucked the magic power of the user and brought forth magic phenomenon that transcended the laws of physics.

From the enemy that was appearing even stronger from the surrounding, the area’s magic power was thicker and more stagnant when compared to other places. Just like Mio said, it was told that such places made it easier for Sacred Treasures to occur.

“Be that as it may, to search this shrine… we first need to exterminate all the Demon Beast in this area.”

After Kazuki whispered so, the forms of golden colored foxes appeared one after another from the trees surrounding this open space where they were standing. It looks like the animals were the protector of the shrine.

This time, when Kazuki lured the foxes near enough,

“Fire Wall!”

―they were all burned up by the fire wall.

At the same time, Mio and Lotte released their respective magic.

“Is this… an enshrined katana?”

The inner sanctuary of the shrine that lost its color and blackened. On its altar, there was an offering of a Japanese katana made from plain wood. Only that katana hadn’t lost its color and exuded an atmosphere of holiness.

Originally, it was an enshrined katana of the shrine, but it transformed into a Sacred Treasure because of the magic power flowing into it.

When it touched his hand, the texture felt like the plain wood was breathing. Kazuki’s magic power was absorbed naturally into the katana. Sacred Treasures exhibited their special power by sucking the user’s magic power.

“This Sacred Treasure is surely connected to Japanese Mythology. Moreover something like a katana is perfectly suited for you, right? Hey, Kazuki come on, let’s test what kind of power it has!”

Mio said that in high spirits. Kazuki laughed wryly while already pushing his magic power into the Sacred Treasure then―’katsukatsukatsu’ sounds were heard from the direction of the shrine entrance.

The sound of footsteps that came here directly―

“What the hell are you bastards doing? It’s forbidden for an individual to pick up a Sacred Treasure. Hand it over to us at once.”

A two-man group consisting of a Magica Stigma clad in her Magic Dress and a swordsman appeared at the entrance of the inner sanctuary.

Judging from their height and age―they were not students but knights of the Knight Order.

Kazuki harbored an uncomfortable feeling. Why did the Knight Order who had a labor shortage dispatch their people in this quest with this kind of difficulty?

“…We plan to submit this in our quest’s report.”

Kazuki replied so, but the female Magica Stigma clad in her Magic Dress seemed to ignore it and approached Kazuki briskly, she snatched the Sacred Treasure katana from Kazuki’s hand.

The girl’s gaze fell onto the katana on Kazuki’s hips and spat out.

“Even though you’re just a swordsman brat… holding something like Sacred Treasure…”

From there she turned her back, “Let’s go Kondou!” she yelled to the swordsman, and left the inner sanctuary.

“Yes.” The swordsman replied and faithfully followed behind her.

“Wha, what is that, disgusting! I mean, if we present that Sacred Treasure at the quest counter, it will reflect on our results you know!”

Mio’s well formed eyebrows bristled in indignation.

“Even though they looked so self-important, there is no doubt that they are just lowly underlings, being dispatched at this simple quest in this busy time! Kazu-nii is far stronger compared to quack knights from nowhere like you guys in a duel!! Stupid!! Idiot!!”

When the knight had gone, Mio insulted them vehemently and stuck out her tongue.

Lotte imitated her too and she also stuck out her tongue. They looked like really close sisters.

“…Well, in any case we won’t be able to bring it back, so let’s ignore it and return to the quest. The Knight Order is also participating, so let’s liberate this whole area today somehow or the other.”

I want to try it out, that Sacred Treasure katana… Kazuki couldn’t get rid of that feeling.

“Looks like there is no boss here like the sea anemone from the zone before.”

Mio said so like she was trying to calm her emotions.

The more someone approached the central part of the Haunted Ground, the magic power would become thicker and will stagnate in the middle of the space.

Because of that, in many cases, a Demon Beast that was one rank stronger would be born in the heart of the Haunting Ground.

Kazuki and the others had already been at the heart of the Haunted Ground.

“I wonder if the party of those two knights before had already fought it.”

“I don’t think that was the case though.”

Each time we defeat a Demon Beast, there was an actual feeling that the scenery of the Haunted Ground also changed, but there was not even a time that the scenery of the Haunted Ground changed when there was no fighting.

In other words this Haunted Ground is not so large, but Kazuki and the other two were more than enough to purge the remaining Demon Beasts.

Everyone’s magic power was already quite exhausted, but they still had some composure for this.

“I’m a little bit tired… my stamina is not so good.”

This whole thing felt a little bit like hiking physically. Lotte who spent the majority of her life laying down on a sick bed let out a bitter smile mixed with fatigue.

“Sorry, we forced you too much, didn’t we? How about I carry you on my back on the way home?”

Carrying her in the back was like treating her like a kid, but Lotte let out reminiscence-like words.

“I’m happy if onii-san’ll do that desu!”

Lotte looked a little awkward and embarrassed.

“…Wait Kazu-nii, not fair! If you’ll carry Lotte in the back then… I’ll be the one in the front, that… it’s unfair if you don’t use princess carry for me too!”

“One person each in the front and the back… that’s unreasonable even if I used Enchant Aura, you know?”

For some reason the atmosphere became harmonious while the three people headed towards the center of the forest―

“…Barrett!”

The last Demon Beast was pierced by the flame bullet.

Right at that moment, the surrounding trees returned perfectly into their original appearance of bright and fresh green leaves in May.

The eerie atmosphere disappeared and the cool summer breeze blew bringing in the smell of summer.

When all present reflexively smiled broadly―Kazuki’s back felt a chill of [something’s presence].

“What’s wrong, suddenly you look scared?”

“…Right now, a huge magic power of something is breaking out near this area.”

“Eh, that magic power…. …!?”

It seems Mio also sensed the outbreak of magic power using Extra Sense, her countenance changed.

Before long, sounds of someone stepping on the falling leaves could be heard from the back.

“…Hmm, I was a little late. The Haunted Ground liberation is already finished… so that means, they only have little strength left to have fun, won’t they?”

With a low voice that was rare for a woman, the voice with a sense of intimidation like steel could be heard.

They turned back to look. Inside the grove of trees, a blonde woman clad in pitch black military uniform was looking to their side.

The black clothed woman suddenly chanted her spell.

“…Yo. For the sake of soldiers desiring Valhalla, descend from Asgard and show those brave figures. I too will show the spirit of a hero. Oh Asgard’s gods of war… Right here to me.”

She was a woman with a bizarre form. On top of wearing a military uniform, a large sword sheathed in its scabbard was attached to her hips and a boorish shield was held on her left hand. It was not a shield used by swordsmen in Japan.

At the same time with the end of her spell, the pitch black military uniform was wrapped with the light of AccessAstrum Connection―she transformed into an armored form that shined fantastically like it was made from blue jewels. This is… Magic Dress?

This woman is… there is no way, Germany’s Einherjar?

“…Mio, Lotte, enemy!!”

That female soldier was just like a Valkyrie, she drew her sword out and dashed toward this side. They didn’t know the reason, but it was obvious that she was showing hostility to them!

Kazuki too took the stance of Iai while chanting his spell and dashed towards the opponent.

At his back, Lotte and Mio too started their spell chant one beat later.

The fight was―intricate!

“…I will do a good fight, meet a good death, and hope to participate in the fight of Asgard even more! Grant the crimson blood divine protection on me! Crimson Eyes of War GodBerserk!!”

The armored female soldier chanted a spell. She invoked some kind of magic and her eyes shined crimson.

At the same time, her running speed also fiercely accelerated. …This was unmistakably a reinforcement magic.

“Mitrailleuse! Prophet… Fire!!”

“Barrett!”

First the gatling gun, and then one beat later, the flame bullet overtook Kazuki and flew to the female soldier.

The female soldier opened wide her crimson eyes that looked like they were burning and quickly stuck out the shield in her left hand.

The gatling and flame bullets were accurately deflected by the small shield.

…Her reflexes were superhuman. Having said that, it was not foresight like Kazuki. The magic from before might not have reinforced just her body but also her reflexes.

…Moreover that shield, how could it deflect Barrett without even a scratch!?

Kazuki and the female soldier who ran in a straight line finally came into contact.

The female soldier swung down the large western sword that she carried on her shoulder. Kazuki promptly drew his Iai.

As for Kazuki, his first draw of the sword was not for the sake of attacking.

He met the slash of the female soldier, he then shifted his body while redirecting the opponent’s strength. Strong!

However, for Kazuki who had already experienced countless locking of swords, that slash’s weight was in the realm he had never before experienced.

Even so, the posture of the opponent was broken, Kazuki released his second slash with the timing of hitting the enemy.

However the left hand of the female soldier moved with the speed that looked like it could even repel light, Kazuki’s slash was repelled by the shield.

“…The moment the sword touched each other, it felt soft and my posture was thrown out of order. You use an interesting technique huh, lad.”

The female soldier laughed so to Kazuki. …She could speak Japanese!?

The counter attack of the female soldier instantly came. Kazuki having foreseen the slash evaded it.

The desperate offense and defense put a stop to Kazuki’s concentration. The spell Kazuki prepared was dispersed.

To chant magic in this level of crossing swords was still difficult for Kazuki.

The gatling bullet and Barrett gave some cover fire for Kazuki in the middle of these, but the female soldier manipulated her shield with precise movement. She prioritized defending against Barret that had more damaging power rather than the gatling gun.

A soldier and at the same time also a Magica Stigma. Like seeing himself in the mirror…

“Are you Germany’s knight? If you understand Japanese then answer, why did you attack us?”

Kazuki inquired without letting his guard down, but the female soldier only leaked a laughing voice.

“Rather than that, let’s have a good battle, lad.”

And then she slashed at Kazuki once more. Kazuki desperately fought back but―the female soldier was too composed.

While performing sword locking with Kazuki, the enemy chanted her spell.

“Divine protection of military man, whirl inside my body, double the Meginmight of heaven! Spurred into endless battle by god’s intention, in this body! …The Belt of Whirling Heaven’s MightMegingjörð!”

…Glittering light swooped down from heaven to the female soldier’s body. The limbs of the female soldier that absorbed the light grew like it was augmenting the muscle.

The female soldier stepped in with an acceleration completely like a cheetah.

If Kazuki was not an expert in foresight he would be cut up like a scarecrow for sure.

However, Kazuki observed the premonition of her movement, grasped the distance, predicted the trajectory of her sword, and finally dealt with the godspeed slash. He didn’t oppose the power of the slash, and by redirecting it with a flowing motion, he used the momentum to break his opponent's posture.

His hands became numb from the extraordinary weight of the slash.

Kazuki returned with his counter-attack, but the female soldier who had her whole body reinforced easily blocked it with the shield in her left hand.

And then―the superhuman strong sword flew once again.

…It doesn’t feel like facing a human opponent!

“You don’t use summoning magic huh, lad! How, what kind of way that you use to throw my sword off balance!? Really interesting huh, so this is Japan’s sword skill, isn’t it!? The mystery of the east!”

The female soldier with blazing eyes smiled with great joy in the middle of the fight.

“…Fire Wall!”

While redirecting his opponent’s sword, Kazuki desperately chanted level 2 magic and invoked it.

A wall of flame was rising from the ground under the feet of the female soldier in a perfect surprise attack.

The female soldier stepped back with her sharp reflexes, but she couldn’t avoid it perfectly and the blue lights of defensive magic power were scattered. …the first attack from this side.

“Is this Japan’s summoning magic? What a cowardly attack.”

The female soldier laughed in a broad grin. The damage was thin.

What a joke, why must we suddenly get attacked by this kind of monster.

“Mio, Lotte, spread out crosswise! No matter how fast she is, the shield can only defend from one side!!”

“You give a troublesome direction huh, lad! Then I’ll deal with the son of the bitch vanguard quickly!!”

The female soldier swung down her strong sword once again, Kazuki redirected that attack and repelled it.

The sounds of the sword fight resounded fiercely. Mixed with those sounds―a woman’s angry voice could be heard.

“You guys, what are you doing there! Why are you fighting when the Haunted Ground was already liberated!? …Who is that one!?”

Did she sense the flow of magic power? The two knights Kazuki encountered in the shrine were rushing here.

The female soldier was “Oh?” and made a surprised face.

“I see, in other words the information about me was only shared to… Loki’s subjugation team, was it?”

Hearing those whispers, Kazuki was “What is she saying?” pondering that in his mind.

“The [protection target] is being attacked! Kondo, go!”

“…Roger!”

The female Magica Stigma passed down an order, the male swordsman called Kondo was approaching here.

Protection target…? Did she mean Lotte? No, these two knights… was looking at Mio?

“Is this only coincidence… are you bastards also as fun as this lad!?”

The German female soldier clad in blue helmet and armor separated from Kazuki and went to face Kondo.

This is bad. Even though this Kondo was a knight, an average swordsman might be instant-killed!

The female knight eliminated their respective distance with terrific speed and slashed at Kondo. That sword movement was simple but rigid. Even while Kondo was gazing in wonder to that speed, he somehow used his katana to block the female soldier's sword.

When their blades locked against each other, Kondo was trying to force back the sword right from the front. But that was a thoughtless move. The female soldier's superhuman herculean strength easily sent Kondo’s sword flying.

The surprised expression was erased from his face, changing into fear.

“…So not all Japan’s swordsman use the same skill like that lad before.”

The female soldier whispered as if bored, and cut down Kondo without a second thought. Kondo was blown away like an old rag by the smashed magic’s shockwave. The majority of his defensive magic power was stolen in only one attack.

“…I lost my interest. You bastard, die.”

The female soldier pointed the tip of her sword in order to grant the finishing blow.

“…I won’t let you!!”

At that time Kazuki sprinted with all his strength and entered between them, he barely deflected the female soldier’s slash.

Just like that Kazuki redirected the female soldier’s consecutive attacks one after another to protect Kondo.

“What the, what kind of sword skill is this…?”

While in the state of falling on his backside, the swordsman, Kondo leaked a voice of admiration toward Kazuki’s sword handling.

“You bastard! Abandon the like of swordsman and attack the opponent!! And yet you called yourself knight cadet!!”

The female Magica Stigma was being protected by a swordsman, yet she yelled a misdirected thing.

“This is not an opponent that you can fight upfront, don’t you understand!?”

Kazuki unintentionally forgot that the other side is an adult in the heat of sword fighting and yelled back.

“Cadet… a student huh. But you have a considerable skill for a mere child. Come, what fascinating thing you’ll show me next!?”

“Don’t make light of a student… Einherjar!”

The female soldier’s bored expression returned a smile. Getting pleased like that…

“You guys’ Heaven and Earth Formation has been undone! Go escape first!! We will look for a chance to escape too!!”

The female Magica Stigma took in her male swordsman partner's exhaustion and “Chih” clicked her tongue. Thereupon she gave instructions just like what Kazuki said.

“Forming Heaven and Earth Formation with lowly swordsman like you, let’s retreat for the moment!”

“So, sorry, cadet young man! I’m indebted to you!”

The female Magica Stigma escaped one step ahead, Kondo was also chasing her back while stumbling all over himself. …The sooner they weren’t here would make it easier to try to escape.

“Mio! If there is a chance let’s escape with level 5 magic!”

“…Using that magic for escaping!? …Aahh! Understood!”

Mio showed her displeasure for only an instant, but in light of the abnormal situation, she soon consented.

“Discussing your escape… what a kill-joy. Do you think I’ll give you the chance? Resolve yourself… the resolution to enjoy the fight with me till the end!!”

The female soldier slashed at Kazuki with the mixed expression of anger and joy. Kazuki redirected it and sealed off the opponent's attack by disturbing her posture. The two’s dance was restarted.

If they used Phoenix’s level 5―[Blazing Wings], they should be able to escape with Phoenix’s wings as long as the opponent didn’t use any movement magic.

The problem wasn’t the rear guard Mio, but whether the vanguard Kazuki had the composure to chant such high level magic or not…!

Even while crossing swords against each other, Kazuki and the female soldier respectively chanted their spell. However, due to the fierce offense and defense, it was not a simple thing. ―Especially in regard to Kazuki who was still inexperienced in Summoning Magic.

“If you said you’re going to escape, then I won’t go easy anymore! …Thor, god of Asgard! The roar of the applause for my blade dance resounded! The thunder of the sky reside in this sword, no longer even the exchange of shield and halberd are allowed, send to oblivion!! Thunder SwordFjörgyn Megin!!”

The atmosphere was vibrating, a flash of lightning fell from the sky aiming at the female soldier’s sword.

Electricity dwelled inside the sword, it was swung down at Kazuki in that condition.

Immediately, Kazuki attempted to redirect the attack with his katana. But the moment the blades touched each other, electricity flowed into Kazuki’s body. Defensive magic power protected Kazuki from the electric shock, but the shockwave of smashed magic was sent to his whole body.

The magic to keep lightning element in a sword― it would turn into a huge damage even with just touching swords.

Just like the foxes tinged with electricity that they encountered in the shrine.

“With this your sword skills have no chance, lad!”

With this Kazuki must perfectly evade all her attacks. If Kazuki couldn’t disturb the opponent’s posture anymore, the severity of the consecutive attacks would increase even more.

With his opponent’s sword attached with <attribute>, as a swordsman, Kazuki was cornered into a predicament at once.

This woman just now said about the god, Thor… Thor of Norse Mythology!

“…Are, are you okay!?”

The male swordsman, Kondo who seems to not have escaped, and was watching over the situation, shouted because he saw Kazuki’s predicament. …I’m happy that you’re worried but, why are you still here? Kazuki made a bitter face.

“I’m fine, so run away!”

Kazuki shouted back, this time the man turned his back once again and escaped for good.

The cover fire of gatling gun and flame bullet were also flying but there was no effect.

Was it impossible… to escape? At least Mio and Lotte need to escape…

The moment despair crossed in his mind― A crack ‘bikibikibiki!’ ran on the air behind the female soldier.

“What!?” She leaked out a surprised voice and turned back.

The sound of the world being cracked resounded, a large black drop spilled over from the crack.

Cancer―in this timing!? …Is this kind of coincidence possible?

The large black drop was―changed into the form of a giant with its body covered in red hot flame.

“The giant of Muspelheim! …There is no way this is a natural occurrence with this kind of timing! Lad, is this you bastard’s plan!?”

There was no way that was true. But― Demon Beast summoning. He happened to know that magic!

This timing was as if to save them, Kazuki was not fully satisfied with this but…

“Mio, now! Start to chant!”

Kazuki dashed to Mio and Lotte’s direction. The female soldier clicked her tongue ‘chih’ from Kazuki’s flight. The flame giant looked down on the female soldier. Its fist that looked like a log on fire swung down.

The female soldier blocked it with her shield. …That woman’s shield could even block that kind of attack!

Kazuki held up Lotte in a princess carry.

“"Blazing Wings!””

Kazuki and Mio matched their timing to invoke their magic. They adjusted their wings of flame expansion so as not to spread the fire to the trees, weaving their way to soar up to the sky.

“Rage and blessing exist together in my war! Acting as the agent of the god of war, in thy crown rage and blessing poured on existence…!!”

The female soldier facing the giant swirled terrific magic power while shouting her spell.

Without a doubt, a high level summoning magic. An avatar of a muscular military man raised from the back of the female soldier. A red glint of eye that looked burning, also a red beard that look like a flame, he carried a large hammer in his right hand. An unrefined hammer with an extremely short handle.

The avatar of the military man overlapped with the female soldier and disappeared. And then only the hammer was left behind in the female soldier’s right hand. The female soldier jumped to the top of the giant’s head with that hammer in one hand.

“Smashed Skull's NoiseMjollnir!!”

‘ZUTON!’ a loud reverberation rang out, the female soldier swung down the hammer on the giant’s head.

The giant’s head was sunk down up to its abdomen in one go. A dreadful power was produced to hit the head until it sunk down to the middle. The body of the giant distorted flabbily. And then it was blown away as particles, leaving no trace.

…That kind of power…. If she used that kind of magic….

While feeling shivers, Kazuki and Mio flew away as far as possible until the effect of the wings of flame were cut off. The intrusion of the German Norse knight, the intrusion of the Japanese knights whose intentions were not known, and then the last was the intrusion of the mysterious Cancer―

The second quest of Kazuki and the others was over with many puzzles jumbled together.

Part 3

―That place was a room encroached by the dusk.

What greeted Kazuki and the others, who were going to report the result of the quest, were instructions for him to head towards the student guidance room alone.

Mio showed her disapproval towards the idea of Kazuki going alone, but Kazuki could imagine the reason for those instructions.

…It seems that they didn’t want Lotte to be present at the place, so they named a representative to come alone.

There was no doubt that this talk was about that female soldier.

Inside the student guidance room, that was dyed dark red by the evening sun from the window, Liz Liza-sensei was waiting alone.

“Sensei, please explain what in the world is going on.”

Before Liz Liza-sensei opened her mouth, Kazuki jumped the gun and pressed his question.

“We were targeted by Germany’s Einherjar at the end of the quest. The other party was contracted with a Diva of Norse’s Mythology, Thor. The one who was targeted was probably Lotte. …This incident wasn’t supposed to happen.”

Kazuki reported dispassionately.

“I don’t understand how things could turn out like this, but if things don’t change, then Lotte will be in danger. Lotte needs to be transferred from this academy to the Knight Order, then we ought to request the Knight Order to strengthen the monitoring of the Einherjar. A firmer security is needed.”

Kazuki dared to say an obvious matter stupidly.

“We can’t do that.”

Liz Liza-sensei only spat out a sentence.

“…Why is that?”

“Because all of you weren’t attacked by anyone. Publicly that is.”

The light of the evening sun from the window, cast a deep shadow on Liz Liza-sensei’s face.

Liz Liza-sensei donned the expression of a cold adult.

“The name of the Einherjar that’s contracted with Thor is Beatrix Baumgard. She slipped out from the lodging house of the Knight Order alone at 14:23, Japan time. She trespassed Okutama’s Haunted Ground. Even without your report, the Knight Order had already grasped all her movement. Her monitoring was not neglected for even a second.”

“You understand to that extent, and she already attacked with impunity, yet you will keep saying that there was no attack?”

Though that reply was just as Kazuki expected― a cold sweat ran down his back.

The attack on Lotte by Einherjar was not supposed to happen. Moreover the government and the Knight Order were not planning to get involved. In short…

“…The government and the Knight Order didn’t plan to shelter Lotte from the start. All those refusal to hand over Lotte’s person and the protection were just for [outward appearance], is that so?”

“Japan didn’t accept Germany’s proposal and respected the life of the refugee. Germany was understanding and came to Japan only for the sake of defeating their common enemy, Loki. Then unrelated at all to Japan and Germany’s united front―Lotte died in an unfortunate accident. That sort of plot. It couldn’t be helped if it was an accident.”

“Don’t fuck with me! …There is no way that kind of forced [It can’t be helped] could exist!”

“Speaking honestly, for Germany, it seems it doesn’t matter whatever Loki did. Their order of priority is the opposite. That’s why entrusting Lotte to the academy was only a feint. The matter of Einherjar coming to Japan under the pretext of subjugating Loki to secretly assassinate Lotte, the Japanese government recognized it implicitly. All for the sake of preserving favorable relations with other foreign countries and Germany.”

“Even my encounter with Lotte… was that nothing more than an arrangement to lure Lotte to the ideal place for assassination in the quest?”

“There was no other way to preserve the balance of power between the Magic Advance Countries.”

“…Lotte didn’t seek power only for the sake of her greed. Didn’t she do it only to escape her destiny of death by sickness?”

“Everyone knows her circumstances already.”

Liz Liza-sensei just shrugged her shoulders to the words that Kazuki squeezed out.

“That girl only tried desperately to live! The nation is an enormous existence, but they are going to gang up on one girl and trample her underfoot just like that? Even arranging a forced plot like this! Isn’t there any other way?”

“There is no need to search for any other way. Other than the misfortune of Lotte whose existence is trivial, everything else would work out just fine, don’t you agree? …The only object a country has the obligation to protect is its people. The current era Japan doesn’t have any allowance to recognize the human rights of a refugee who came as she pleased.”

Is she saying that seriously?

To agree that Lotte is not a human deep from the heart after seeing her smile…

“Someone who could let a person die because of that kind of reason is not a human!”

Kazuki never thought that Liz Liza-sensei was this kind of person who could explain such unreasonable, behind the scenes plot, without even cracking an expression. Was Liz Liza-sensei really aware of this reality?

When she encouraged Kazuki that he would be able to succeed in the quest, was she already aware of this?

“…If you can’t agree, then what are you going to do? Trash.”

While leaning her back on the chair, Liz Liza-sensei questioned with a testy tone.

At that instant, an obvious reply naturally floated inside Kazuki’s mind.

“If the government doesn’t have any intention to involve themselves in the supposed incident that would befall Lotte… no one should have any complaint if someone saved Lotte from the accident willfully.“

His expression warped unconsciously. Kazuki floated a smile half in desperation.

“Even if Beatrix had the tables turned on her and she gets into an accident, in a place where there is supposed to be no one, Germany won’t have any right to complain. …We are of equal status in this regard.”

If this was not an official matter then the story is simple.

“Don’t say such reckless things like a child. The opponent is Germany’s ace you know?”

“I will―protect Lotte! I won’t accept such a thing!”

Liz Liza-sensei’s rock hard expression… broke suddenly.

She suddenly bent her back with all her strength and released a huge sigh.

Thereupon she stood from her chair and turned on the light of the student guidance room that had turned dark.

“…Sorry, Hayashizaki. I was anticipating from the start that a student like you will say such thing.”

Liz Liza-sensei sat back on the chair and said so while leaning on her back powerlessly.

“The order that was handed down to me was to forbid you and Amasaki from speaking, when you come back, where Lotte is killed while you guys survived. But forbidding you to speak is useless talk, isn’t it? Moreover, I thought that Lotte’s chances of returning alive was high with two people that can use Phoenix’s level 5 magic, if you guys devoted yourself to escaping. Stop underestimating my student, that kind of talk.”

“…So Liz Liza-sensei already predicted everything from the start… including my action… was it? You don’t plan to let Lotte die…”

“You are still not trusted by anyone and evaluated too little but, you are the possessor of a King's power. Other than entrusting Lotte to you, there is no one else who has any chance of saving her. Sorry Hayashizaki. If you are really the King of Solomon― ignore the likes of the country's scheme and save the girl. …I’m counting on you.”

Liz Liza-sensei had already seen through that the person called Hayashizaki Kazuki was that kind of human.

However… rather than saying things like aiming to become a harem king, this objective was much more easier to consent to.

{If your caliber is only to the extent of letting Lotte die at this point, even Leme won’t acknowledge you as our King. It’s obvious that you have to save Lotte if you’re a King, so to speak. This is the ordeal you need to pass to become a King.}

Leme’s voice resounded inside Kazuki’s mind. Leme was enthusiastic too.

Mio would also approve of this.

“Well then, what is going to happen from now on with regards to the previous scheme?”

“You guys keep your mouths shut and take Lotte to challenge a quest once more, at that time it will be arranged for Beatrix to attack again. There won’t be any witnesses if it’s inside the Haunted Ground. The role of you guys are to shut your mouth and guide Lotte once more to that kind of place.”

“…In other words if we know the timing of the attack beforehand, we can anticipate Beatrix with any kind of preparation of our own, right?”

“However, you cannot take Otonashi Kaguya and the others. If the student council president is present at the scene, we won’t be able to say that [Our academy’s student protected her by their own initiative though―]. Nonetheless, the time to prepare for Beatrix is not long. …One month. If you can turn her away one more time, they shouldn’t be able to meddle so openly and the period of cooperation with Einherjar would be over. If it turned out like that, they would lose all excuses and they would eventually go back to their country.”

So we couldn’t rely on our senpais. And even then… the opponent was a formidable enemy.

“A student overreaching himself cannot become an opponent who can oppose Beatrix. After all, she is Germany’s ace. But you are a King. Lotte’s Diva is originally a Diva with considerable power. If you could use him well, then the chance of victory would appear. For the sake of defeating an enemy with your limited power…”

King, the moment he heard that word, Kazuki felt an unpleasant premonition. Liz Liza-sensei announced.

“In this limited time of preparation, increase Lotte’s positivity level as much as possible from now on.”

So in the end this ended up like that, Kazuki cradled his head.

“By the way, we met the knights of Japan’s Knight Order in the Haunted Ground. They barged into the fight with Beatrix too, but what’s with that?”

Kazuki inquired so before he left the student guidance room.

“…What are you talking about? All the knights in Tokyo should already be informed about Beatrix. To show hostility to Beatrix, what is…?”

Liz Liza-sensei knitted her eyebrow, this was the first time that she was baffled by the situation.

“Its impossible for Japan’s knights to be in that place.”

Part 4

“Don’t screw with me! …This kind of thing should not have happened!!”

―A voice of an old man rang out behind the closed door of the headmaster’s office.

“If there was even a little mistake, my Mio-tan would… ehem, my step daughter would have died! For Germany's Einherjar to attack our students in the middle of the quest…!!”

“How could Board Chairman Amasaki know about… Aah, I see. So the two knights mentioned in the report are your protégés, is that so?”

Headmaster Otonashi responded so while leaning his back in the cushioned creaking chair.

“…Those knights were the kids I taught previously. I called them from other provinces.”

“I see. That bit was the only thing incomprehensible in this incident. Even though all the members of the knights in the metropolis were already gathered into Loki’s subjugation team and got informed about Beatrix’s movement, why were those knights loitering on that quest uninformed… By any chance, will you always rely on your former students to shadow and protect your step daughter everytime she challenged a quest?”

“Not always, this is the first time. She failed on those quest before so… it can’t be helped! Because Mio-tan formed a party with a useless rank E! Taking into account that risk… this is a reasonable measure!!”

“So you call your step daughter something like [Mio-tan] habitually… I received the report about Amasaki Mio’s personality, but… I think I see how that personality could take form.”

“Fuh, there are also things I want to say about you bastard’s training plan for your daughter, but right now it doesn’t matter. Why did Germany’s knight attack the students? I never heard anything about this. Don’t joke around, you knew this before it happened.”

“A gag order was planned for the aftermath, but there was no danger to their life. The Einherjar had been informed that the only one that could be killed was Lotte. Nonetheless, I guess there was still the risk of those battle-crazy savages going overboard, they didn’t change at all since they were still called Vikings. Those rabble are really the same as the ones told about in Norse Mythology.”

“Stop your bullshit! …In the worst case… Shit, she got swallowed in this kind of plot because she grouped together with that kind of brat…!”

Board chairman Amasaki changed the brunt of his wrath because he realized there was nothing he could do by himself about the diplomatic relations between Japan and Germany. If Mio was not in the same party with Hayashizaki Kazuki, then she wouldn’t be in any danger.

Headmaster Otonashi twitched his eyebrows toward those words.

That kid was certainly a hindrance…

It was not the same stupid reason because he had similar tastes about his daughter, like this old man.

There was no way in the world that they could welcome the likes of a 15 year old kid as the [King of Magica Stigma].

Knight Academy, Knight Order, government… all those organizations had already possessed [vested interests] regarding the Magica Stigma. All the people had already solidified their status up to this point, then suddenly they were told that they had to serve a 15 year old kid, who in the world could do that…

The power and influence of the King must be chipped off as much as possible.

The extremist like Liz Liza Westwood advocated that they [ought to support] the King. But [Reduce the power of the King], that was the consensus of all the people that stood at the top of the organizations.

“…Your knight protégée shouldn’t make their report regarding the quest public.”

“That’s obvious, do you think we can report that kind of thing? Is there something wrong with that?”

A new scheme came to mind inside Headmaster Otonashi’s brain.

“…There is something interesting from the report of those knights. If we could use that a little, we could also get rid of that eyesore child from this academy while also taking care of Charlotte at the same time. Your daughter could also move into a more proper girl-only party then.”

This old board chairman also shared the common position of not welcoming the King after all.

And then the step daughter he doted on above all things could stay far away from Hayashizaki Kazuki.

Nonetheless, Hayashizaki Kazuki was also one of the students that he needed to protect as a teacher.

For a while, Board Chairman Amasaki’s eyes were wavering in hesitation while feeling the weight of his duty.

But in the end― he nodded for the sake of his step-daughter. Headmaster Otonashi smiled.

Chapter 4 – Love Simulation

Part 1

As soon as Kazuki exited the student guidance room, Leme materialized in the air behind Kazuki’s head.

Like that, she clung to Kazuki’s head with both arms while both her legs were stuck to Kazuki’s shoulders, turning into a shoulder ride.

“It is imprudent to say this, but…this sure turned interesting right, my King!”

“…Why are you riding on my shoulder?”

“I’m showing you that there are various ways to materialize in this world.”

Kazuki felt closely a girl’s lower body on his head and neck beyond the thin one-piece tunic she wore, but―this was only Leme after all. Her form was a little girl when they first met, but now her appearance had grown into an upper elementary grade school student. Even with that growth, she still felt like a child.

“Is that so? Leme felt my nervousness before the fight and came to calm me down, thank you.”

“No, this is just a joke though.”

“You are heavy, get down.”

Okay, Leme replied obediently and ‘pyon’ jumped down.

“At any rate, this situation is bad for Prophet and Lotte, but even so this is still interesting. For our King to declare that he would protect Lotte by himself in the middle of this whirlpool of conspiracy of the country, that was intense. Even the development that you need to raise Lotte’s positivity level for the sake of defeating an opponent of higher status is pleasant! When you pass through this tribulation, you would be really praiseworthy as our King for sure!”

Kazuki, together with Leme, went out of the school building walking through the park towards the Witch’s mansion. The classmates passing by were calling out to him -“Hayashizaki-kun’s relation with his contracted Diva is really good, isn’t it?"

Kazuki talked to Leme after he confirmed that there was no one around.

“Knights that shouldn’t be there, adding to that…the Cancer outbreak in the middle of the fight with Beatrix. …Thanks to that we could escape, but the timing was completely unnatural. Did someone cause that phenomenon?”

Kazuki happened to know only one person that could cause such phenomenon using magic.

“…By chance that was about me, right Onii-chan?”

A voice that he had heard before came right from his back.

That voice that reminded him of those feelings of powerlessness was so dear and also regretful.

When he turned back, the girl that was not supposed to be inside the Knight Academy―Kaya was there.

“…!” Kazuki’s breath was taken away. His whole body had goosebumps. Only that girl's existence could do this to him.

Her clothes were not the tattered rags from that time. She wore a black t-shirt printed with a skull image and jeans that were roughly damaged, boots that were arranged with silver thumbtacks(the so-called punk style), while her silver hair was fluttering around. Kaya stood there so naturally that he doubted his own eyes.

There was no way. Why is this girl here? Even though right now, Japan’s Knight Order with help from Einherjar were in a frenzy searching for Loki.

…Moreover, how could Kaya have returned to her own body?

Kaya’s body was supposed to have beeen stolen by Loki. But now, right in front of his eyes was not the too skinny male with blue hair, but the silver haired Kaya before she was hijacked by Loki.

“Onii-chan looks flabbergasted. Loki is laughing raucously inside me you know? His enjoyment is even transmitted unto me with our shared perception.”

Kaya giggled lightly. Not only her appearance, even the voice was her's.

“If I have to say what happened…Loki didn’t erase my personality, he just put me under his control. Right now I’m Kaya, however at the same time Loki is in here too.”

Kazuki cautiously observed her.

A Diva is a lump of magic power. In other words―if the Kaya in front of him was attacked, her magic power shaved while magic power sealing measure was performed,…then the only one left would purely be Kaya.

If Kaya’s personality still remained, she could still be saved.

“Stop it Onii-chan, I don’t want to lose this power. Moreover…the current Onii-chan won’t be able to win against a serious Loki, right? I can use Loki’s power properly you know?”

…Just like what she said. At the Haunting Ground, Kazuki noticed Loki’s existence as the one that caused the unnatural Cancer. However at that time, he thought his chances of victory was zero, so he chose to escape.

“But, Onii-chan. Loki respected my personality, so there is no need for Onii-chan to have useless thoughts like forcing yourself to try to rescue me. Because I’m not really unhappy with this.”

Kaya shrugged her shoulders, saying that Kazuki’s action was fruitless effort.

“Why did Loki leave behind Kaya’s personality that he had already hijacked?”

“That’s because he decided it’s more fun that way you see, Onii-chan! Loki is currently storing battle strength in Japan, and then the pawn for playing around ridiculing the key person of this country - that is the [King], you, Onii-chan…that was me I wonder?”

Inside Kazuki’s mind, he can hear Loki’s sneering voice that was rubbing him the wrong way.

Rage spontaneously welled up inside him, but the enemy that he should clash with―was not there.

For Kaya, who he thought he wanted to save, telling him that she didn’t need to be saved. Such a thing…

“Fufufu, although if there was no one killed, I think the current situation would be more fun. Compared to my powerlessness from a long time ago, being half assimilated with Loki is much more…”

“You said you are happy? Then even now, you show up in front of me just to make fun of me?”

“Today is different, we have a proposal. For the sake of defeating our common enemy―the hunter of German’s Einherjar, Beatrix Baumgard, how about Onii-chan forming a united front with us?”

Kaya looked around restlessly then, said something in a carefree smiling face.

“Talking about this while standing around is a little bit…how about we continue this in Onii-chan’s room?”

{Enter now.}

{Okaaayy―♪}

Night―Kazuki opened his room’s window, then sent a thought message using telepathy to Kaya who was waiting and standing by outside.

Normally, it was a common magic that was rarely used because it was subtly inconvenient even though it appeared so.

First, sending a thought message to another party who didn’t open their heart, even if they sent it unilaterally, it would get deflected by <The Wall of Heart>. It couldn’t be done without informing the other party beforehand that a message would be sent.

Moreover, when matching their consciousness and hearts with each other, not only the message, but even thoughts and emotions could flow on its own accord to the other party.

And then to protect from an incident of leaking private thoughts, an advanced control of magic power was needed.

Kazuki who was poor at telepathy magic was not inclined to do this, but…he couldn’t greet Kaya from the front entrance of the Witch’s Mansion. There was no other way than this to invite her in.

Kaya’s head ‘pyon’ protruded from the window.

“Making this kind of weak girl climb up a wall, Onii-chan you brute.”

Of course what made such acrobatics possible for her came from Enchant Aura which is based on Loki’s magic power.

“That way of talking…You, the truth is Loki's the one inside, right?”

“That’s not true Onii-chaaan! It’s true that Loki can transform into a girl though. But right now, the personality of Kaya is the one that properly moves this flesh. Loki is in the middle of resting.”

Kaya jumped lightly over the window frame and landed in the room.

“So this is Onii-chan’s room. As expected, what a stoic room. Uwaa, dumbbells scattered around in the floor…. Where are the porn books?”

“There is no such thing, I'm not interested. Wait, remove your shoes.”

“Is there really no porn book here? Ah, that’s right, Onii-chan knew I will come so he already cleaned it up in a panic before, right? Perhaps the girl that had entered into this room…I wonder if I’m the first one?”

“Just so you know, the residents of this mansion frequently comes and goes.”

The smiling expression disappeared from Kaya’s face hearing Kazuki’s blunt words.

“…I want to murder all the girls in this mansion except Mio-chan right now…”

At the same time, a skull mark that signaled the decrease of positivity level floated over from her chest and was absorbed into Kazuki’s ring. Wait, wait right there! What was that just now!?

Amasaki Mio―130 Otonashi Kaguya―79 Hiakari Koyuki―52 Hoshikaze Hikaru―43

Lotte―44 Kaya―50

Kazuki was amazed the moment the magic power flowed into his ring.

“Why are you being added to the conquering targets!?”

“That ring…record my positivity level huh? Loki is proud of his eyes in appraising things. You see, that positivity level is the embodiment of the lending of our power in this united front, Onii-chan. I hope that this can be proof that there is no double-dealing in our cooperation with Onii-chan.”

Certainly the ring acknowledged the existence of Kaya in front of him. If Loki was actually disguising himself as Kaya, then the ring shouldn’t show the value of positivity level of 50.

“Because Onii-chan slashed him before, Loki needs to rest as much as possible. Diva is a lump of magic power, if they receive damage, then their divinity would be wounded. It’s the same with Lotte’s contracted Diva who possessed her to accumulate power. Possibly…it’s also the same with the three major gods who once led the world and used up their power, and now they inevitably lay dormant for a long, long time.”

Used up their power…three major gods?

But before Kazuki could interpose his question, Kaya continued her talk fluently.

“Though if Loki was awakened forcibly, he could still do something like dealing with Onii-chan. Be that as it may, he is not in perfect condition. Even if he dealt with someone like Onii-chan…Beatrix would be more troublesome as an opponent. Loki is not that strong in close quarter combat. That is where he wants to cooperate with Onii-chan who is a specialist in close quarter combat. I mean Onii-chan who crossed swords with a knight, who was blessed with Thor’s divine protection, with just pure swordsmanship was too abnormal. It’s out of the ordinary.”

Who did you say is abnormal? Even though he thought he was going to die at that fight,

Kaya suddenly looked around restlessly.

“By the way…can I meet with Mio-oneechan? It’s okay if we call her to this room, right? I wanted to meet her for a looong time.”

“I still haven’t decided if we want to cooperate with you.”

“How obstinate Onii-chan. Even though Onii-chan doesn’t understand if he can win before the fight. Just so you know, I can become a powerful war asset if I borrow Loki’s power.”

“Even if it’s only temporary for example…I'm still reluctant to join hands with guys like Loki.”

“Loki is not that bad of a guy. Loki’s objectives are to bring forth chaos in the world and take revenge on the gods of the Norse Mythology. For that, he wakes up illegal magicians and asks them to become his comrade, but in reality he avoids actions like killing humans in mischief. Even people like me who was driven mad and thought that they were going to be killed, they were sort of allowed to escape in reality. Well, sometimes he might overdo it as the guy who pursues chaos though. He sort of killed Mio-chan inadvertently while raising the tension and provoking Onii-chan before.”

What? She said a guy whose words and deeds like Loki was not a bad guy?

“…Surely Onii-chan had heard that there were still no dead victims in the incident of the attack against the Knight Order.”

That one was quite puzzling. At first it was said that Loki used Hit & Away tactic and avoid getting too deep to injure the Knight Order, but…

“They only attacked to whittle away the Knight Order’s strength, then ran. It seems illegal magicians are easy to rile up. Because all the illegal magicians lost their reason, it’s safe for Loki to lead them. As a result, the victims who died decreased.”

“But if the Diva of illegal magicians are woken up…at the very least, there will be victims that will have their personality devoured.”

Kaya’s personality was left behind, but not everyone would be like her.

“Humans that had their personality absorbed are victims, that is only Onii-chan’s personal opinion.”

Kaya―asserted so definitively.

Even when Kaya was hijacked by Loki, she could only raise a scream of grief.

“At first I was also scared because Loki drove me to the wall mentally to steal my flesh efficiently. I was made to think to kill various people. But now that I am already absorbed―it feels so good. The fools who obtained power according to their wishes, and in the end integrated with god or devil…that is not repulsive. In the first place, the humans that have a hand in illegal contracts were nothing but humans that pursued <Chaos> somewhere deep in their heart.”

“…What are you saying, chaos... is?”

She said that was Loki’s objective, but….

“See, what is called Chaos is the other side of the Mythology. Illusions going toward sweet decadence, the desire and impulse of living things called humans that they can’t deny. If the gods on the front side of the mythology start to control humans with the thing called <Order>, then we, the gods of the opposing side will start to move seeking those things that belonged to Chaos!”

The gods of the front side that she mentioned―was she referring to the Mythology of the magic advanced countries that demanded faith?

And then the opposing force towards those front side…were those Divas of Chaos?

In the Norse Mythology, Divas like Loki…?

“It’s not good to see everything just from one side you know? Hearing words like Chaos, it would tickle your Chuuni mind for sure, no doubt there are a lot of humans like Kaya in society nowadays! Abandoning our body to Chaos and releasing ourselves from all shackles, attaining supreme ecstasy - humans like us! …Well, I won’t ask a man of common-sense like Onii-chan to understand the values of our aesthetics though. Because in a certain meaning, this happiness is only for the humans who chose it for themselves.”

Kaya said all those in a tone of ecstasy. But it could be seen from her words and expression, there was danger that it would turn bad if you could appreciate what she said.

“It’s one hundred percent impossible for Onii-chan to appreciate Chaos, but…if Onii-chan have already heard about Lotte’s story, then Onii-chan won’t be able to be positive towards Germany that was ruled by the powerful Order of the Norse Mythology, right?”

Certainly, Kazuki couldn’t think of Germany’s way of doing things as righteous.

However, was it fine for him to easily let slide everything Loki had done till now?

He couldn’t get rid of this uncomfortable feeling no matter what. He didn’t understand how he should feel toward Kaya who was right in front of him. The more he heard her talk…the more he felt swallowed into the depth of Chaos.

“Even so Onii-chan’s Solomon 72 Pillar position was neither Order nor Chaos. But fellows like Asmodeus that’s closer to Chaos also exist there. It’s important for Onii-chan who is the BasilleusKing of Solomon to pick out allies from inside both Order and Chaos. Because so far Solomon 72 Pillar too increased their number like that. Looking out for allies within the enemy’s side is also an important job for a King. Onii-chan is pampered too much by Lemegeton if she doesn’t teach you things like that, isn’t it?”

“…So are you saying I need to be broad-minded enough to join hands together with Loki temporarily to probe him out, is that so?”

“Yee―ess! Just like that, Onii-chaa―n!”

Suddenly Kaya leaped toward Kazuki and hugged his arm.

“…Just, I hope you can think of me more as the genuine Kaya right now…”

Kaya whispered faintly while hugging Kazuki and burying her face in Kazuki’s chest.

“Well, let’s form a united front for the meantime for the sake of beating Beatrix, okay? Onii-chan’s breadth of tactics will spread even further by getting me as a comrade. It’s important right? Your breadth of tactics?”

“…Do you have some kind of plan? Though I can’t think of anything other than unpleasant thoughts from Loki’s cunning.”

“It can’t be said as a plan, but I can propose a policy for the way of fighting. In any case, the opponent’s contracted Diva…Thor, Loki knows everything about the scope of his powers.”

Loki and Thor were both Divas from the Norse’s mythology.

It was even depicted in the mythology that both of them were [close] friends .

“The fundamental is for Onii-chan to endure the opponent’s close-quarter attack. There Onii-chan will obstruct her from chanting the spell for area-attack magic while also whittling her magic power. But if Thor succeeds in chanting high level magic, it’s already over at that point in time. That’s the lifeline.”

“What should I do if she keeps running away while chanting high level magic?”

Beatrix’s physical ability, after she finished chanting her two stage reinforce magic, had exceeded even Hoshikaze-senpai in her [Ride Lighning] by a large margin. If Beatrix could run away, it was impossible to overtake her.

“No, most of Thor’s summoning magic has the weak point of being unable to be chanted while not fighting. As the compensation of granting overwhelming fighting strength, Thor is a Diva that wouldn’t listen to anything other than the voice of a soldier right in the midst of battle. That is, Beatrix’s breadth of tactics is narrow.”

This was important information. If it was like that, if he could endure Beatrix’s close-quarter combat, he could bring the battle into protracted war. However…

“The problem is Thor’s Magic Dress of helmet and armor. It has the divine protection of defensive power. The most efficient method of attack is to inflict damage from the inner part of the armour.”

An attack that operated in the inner part…[electricity] huh.

“In addition, a magician of her level is not depending on only defensive magic power to defend against an attack, she’d also use psychokinesis against physical attacks and pyrokinesis against heat to offset the attack precisely. Compared to releasing defensive magic power depending on instinct, controlled magic power has better defensive efficiency. Unfortunately, there is a difference between Onii-chan who is a student and a professional knight for the know-how in this area.”

…Protracted battle. During those period, he would fall into a desperate situation if he let the enemy invoke a high level magic even once.

He was taught some significant information, but it seems it would become a considerably severe battle.

“But it would be fine if Onii-chan prepared solidly. Onii-chan is going to raise Lotte’s positivity level as high as possible the whole day tomorrow. Lotte’s Diva is pretty strong, that guy.”

“You know Prophet’s real identity!?”

“I have a conjecture. I wonder if that teacher has also guessed it already? If I have to say how important it is to make Lotte become lovestruck to Onii-chan, it’s because Beatrix had brought a troublesome Sacred Treasure from Germany. That shield that could even block the flaming fist of the Muspelheim’s giant that I summoned before―that was the Sacred Treasure of Norse Mythology, [Svalinn]. That shield has absolute resistance towards flames. The battle power of a King like Onii-chan that could only use fire will be reduced in half. While unfortunate, a flame user like Mio-chan wouldn’t be able to do anything other than be a cute mascot character as long as that shield is there.”

As expected, that shield was a Sacred Treasure.

Our side’s attack was inclined to flame, so Beatrix’s defense could only be seen as absolutely overwhelming.

The Scared Treasure was forbidden to use in Japan…but Germany used them properly.

“Onii-chan’s job is to raise Lotte’s positivity level. Kaya feels offended to her though. Even though the one that can call Onii-chan as Onii-chan is only me and Mio-chan who was in little sister position in the orphanage!”

That provocation speech was going to make Kanae-san burn though.

“My job on the other side, the comrade that this form of Kaya can control…Midgardsormr…with his cooperation, we will decrease the area of the Haunting Ground that Onii-chan will challenge for the quest in the day after tomorrow. It would be troublesome if uncertain factors that would become a hindrance in the fight would increase. Though there needs to be some allowance because if all Demon Beasts are exterminated then the quest would also get terminated. This is an important role right?”

…Certainly, there was no part that he could criticize in her proposal.

“…On the contrary, don’t you dare to prepare some trap that would cause our defeat.”

“…Kyaa☆ Onii-chan, can you explain logically what merit there is in that kind of action for me and Loki?”

A skull mark flew while Kaya stared scornfully to Kazuki who kept distrusting her.

“Pass the whole day tomorrow sweetly just with Lotte okay, Onii-chan! Irritating! Well, but harem…that kind of sore romance, Kaya is the understanding type you know!”

While spinning round and round without even any meaning, Kaya was “Ha―rem♪” in high spirit.

“…Isn’t it more natural if we go together with Mio under the pretext of party’s friendship deepening meeting rather than just me and Lotte, with that Lotte could be more relieved, have more fun and then her positivity level would also go up, right?”

While more skull marks flew from Kaya because of Kazuki’s objection,

“Block-head-O-ni-i-chan☆” she cursed Kazuki with a sweet voice.

“Prattling things like that is the proof that Onii-chan doesn’t even see Lotte as a girl. It’s okay to gamble too, but I bet Lotte would be happy being alone with Onii-chan, the chance to increase the positivity level would also increase. Because somehow her positivity level had already passed over 40. Even if in the case that Onii-chan thought of her as someone like a little sister…a girl would still be a girl for sure.”

Kaya waved her finger while going ‘tsk tsk tsk’.

“Furthermore, this talk also fits with me who is in the same position of younger little sister, so this will also serve as reference when Onii-chan is going to conquer me in the not so far future, right☆ Kyaa!”

“True, just like what this chuunibyou little sister said. Our King is still lacking regarding romantics.”

Even Leme appeared beside Kazuki and found faults in him.

“Tonight…looks like there are no more trains. Onii-chan…can I stay in this room, can I?”

While doing an impressive action behavior, Kaya said so in embarrassment.

“Tonight, Kaya want to pass the night with only Onii-chan doing this-and-that filled with Chaos that was hard to describe, pleaseee♥”

“Go home.” With that, Kazuki opened the window of the room.

In any case, he must talk with Lotte to set the promise of the date.

Both Liz Liza-sensei and Kaya talked about raising Lotte’s positivity level like it was something so easy to do, but…it was not so simple if he thought realistically. He hesitated at this juncture.

Although the other party was Lotte who was very friendly, but a guy who invited a girl who he just met for a few days, wasn’t that too frivolous and thoughtless….

But the situation had turned into a battle that they couldn’t withdraw from anymore.

He hardened his resolve and searched for Lotte, he found her in the kitchen chugging an entire bottle of milk in one gulp right after she came out of the bath. She was wearing a T-shirt and short pants while a towel was wrapped at her neck.

“O, Onii-san.”

“…What are you doing Lotte?”

“I learned from anime that in Japan you have to do this after getting out from the bath. There is no custom to warm our body inside the bath in our country, so I yearned for this desu.”

“The path of drinking milk after bathing is deep, you know? There are also coffee milk or lemon milk and many others.”

“Is that so desu…I want to master them all desu.”

Lotte whispered with an expression that’s hard to describe. That expression seems to be tinged with a little worry.

“Moreover, I also heard that your breast will get bigger if you drink milk. I learned many important things in human life from anime desu. Does Onii-san like big breasts?”

“Eh, I wonder…I don’t really think about that honestly.”

The moment he said that, the images of breasts that almost spilled over from the figures of Kaguya-senpai and Mio in their Magic Dress appeared clearly in his mind, Kazuki shook his head and cleared those images from his head.

“I’m ashamed because mine is not big desu. My stature is also small and scrawny desu…”

“Based on your age, won’t you still have a lot of growing up from now on?”

“That’s right isn’t it desu? Until now my body is weak and underdeveloped, so…from now on is a crucial moment desu. I’ll drink various milk, and grow rapidly from now on…”

While saying [From now on], Lotte’s expression clouded over drastically.

Lotte spoke of the [Future] that she couldn’t grasp in her hand even until now.

Despite that, why is she so…speaking of the future with that kind of helpless expression?

“Kazuki-oniichan, the Einherjar that came to attack us at the end of the quest…she was aiming at me, right desu?”

Aah, that’s right…there was no way she wouldn’t notice.

“As expected, I am a bother for everyone, isn’t it desu? Probably, no matter where I go, I’ll always be a bother to the people in those places…”

Lotte whispered frailly like a flower petal that was scattered in the wind.

That expression made Kazuki’s chest feel painfully tight.

“You are not a bother.”

“…Why desu? For all that it’s my fault that we were attacked…”

“Because I’m very happy that I met Lotte. The plus is much bigger than the minus, so don’t think that you are a bother. To not have any place to belong to anywhere in the world, you must not think such sad things.”

Kazuki remembered the time when he was an orphan. Even that me was found by people who gave me a place to belong. Then I too, for this girl…

Inside Kazuki’s head, the nervousness and hesitation he felt in inviting her to a date disappeared.

“But as it is, I will surely be…killed.”

“It’s okay. I will protect Lotte.”

Lotte’s face was dyed with surprise, blue sparks were released around her face’s vicinity.

The girl who was a genius in telepathy perceived Kazuki’s heart unconsciously.

Lotte’s face contorted and almost cried when she sensed the inside of Kazuki’s heart.

“Onii-chan’s words…why is there not even a bit of lie mixed there desu? Even though you said such unbelievable words…”

“It’s not unbelievable. That Germany’s Einherjar can only stay in Japan for one month. They won’t also get any open help from the internal of Japan. The other side only has limited chances. I’ll drive away that female soldier for sure!”

Lotte’s pupils shook in anxiety. “It’s okay.” Kazuki held Lotte’s cheeks between both his hands.

It was Kazuki’s habit that he used to calm down Kanae, when she was crying, during their childhood.

“Lotte, let’s go play tomorrow.”

“Eh? Playing…why so suddenly…”

“I want to teach Lotte about happiness and your place to belong in this world.”

“This world’s enjoyment…my place…? For me, that kind of thing…? Seriously desu?”

Lotte blinked her eyes in surprise while her cheeks were held between Kazuki’s hands.

“…Bu, but! If I go play with only Kazuki-oniisan, it would turn out as a date like in the love comedy anime…!? Or maybe, Mio-oneesan will also come together?”

“Let’s go for a date. Just the two of us.”

Immediately, blue spark scattered around Lotte and she understood Kazuki’s honest feelings.

The cheek that was kept between Kazuki’s hand suddenly burned hotly.

And then in the next moment―a super large heart mark flew towards Kazuki. He was involuntarily taken aback because it was so large even though it was just a vision with no substance.

Lotte’s positivity level increased to 57 in one go. Lotte understood whether her company was lying or honest using telepathy. Maybe that was why the jump in her positivity level was so drastic.

Lotte perceived Kazuki’s heart and came to believe it.

“If Kazuki-oniisan says that it’s fine, then I want to go on a date with Onii-san desu…”

Lotte replied with a face so red that smoke ‘pushu―’ came out from her face.

“Please treat me well…date of man and woman…”

“Then, is there any place that you want to go? By any chance, you haven’t gone sightseeing around Tokyo since you arrived right?”

Kazuki removed his hands from Lotte’s cheeks. Lotte put her own hands on her cheeks and,

“Tokyo’s sightseeing! Those words tickle my chest desu…!”

She said that cheerfully and with that, her spirit returned. Then she thought for a while and replied.

“…I, want to go to Akihabara desu!”

Part 2

It would be embarrassing if everyone from the Witch’s Mansion saw them off, so Kazuki and Lotte met up at the school’s gate. This was a great and clever plan by Mio.

Kazuki got out of the mansion and waited in advance, then a flowery excited voice rang out.

“Kazuki-oniisan!”

Lotte ran ‘patapata’ steadily toward Kazuki while her skirt fluttered about.

She was wearing a dress, like the one worn by an upper class young lady to a party.

Her skirt’s length was not too long, so it was not hard to run in it. Their appearance to the world was different when they lined up. Just like the scene of a commoner escorting a princess….

“This is the dress that I wore when I sought asylum here, the only clothes that I brought from Seinmundo desu.”

“So you are coming here wearing your special clothes. I mean, it’s pretty. Like this…”

Rather than pretty, it was beautiful. The bottom of the neck and the shoulder were exposed boldly, the part on the hips was slender, and the skirt spread out like flower petals. Those clothes combined with Lotte’s own loveliness made her look like a character that came right out from a fairytale.

“Receiving a man's honest praise from the heart…my heart is beating so fast desu.”

Lotte looked down while fidgeting and holding the tips of her skirts.

―Now, which way is good to leave from here?

It would be a mistake to walk in front of her and guide her with a distance between them, he already received instructions from Mio beforehand. What he learned was to link their arms together or to hold her waist.

But the initiative to hold the hand of the lady couldn’t come from the man. If it became like this…!

“Well then, shall we go?”

Kazuki gently embraced Lotte’s hips that was so slender, it looks like it could break with his one hand.

…Mio said that for an adult, it was only natural to do this, but as he thought, this was overdoing it.

However, Lotte looked up to Kazuki in a daze and a heart mark flew out from her.

The advice from Kaya to treat Lotte properly like a girl flashed inside his head.

“Kazuki-oniisan…this is what people call as a date between a man and a woman, right desu? I have never participated in something like this, but this is completely like the royal dance party desu!”

When he thought about it, this kind of exaggerated way might have originated from a foreign country.

“I…thought that romcom of a man and a woman would not ever happen in my life. …This is like seeing a dream, I feel so light desu. Is it really fine to believe this desu…?”

Lotte whispered so while snuggling closely to Kazuki’s arm that was holding her.

―And then their destination was the [Alchemy Cyberbrain CityAlchemics Mega City - Akihabara].

Once called the Electric Town, the plot of land became the town of Anime afterwards, and when it entered the age of magic, it became known as Alchemics Mega City.

There they were pursuing the use of alchemy for the use of entertainment however much.

What they were especially pursuing was the genre of entertainment known as <Moe>.

The alchemists that were specializing in Moe, the <Otaku> were gathering in this town to set up their workshops.

Various Moe were created from those Otaku workshops and released to the public.

Using alchemy, alchemic figures in advanced model and all possible colors, and also three-dimensional illustrations were projected freely using magic light slide projector devicephantasmagoria.

And then using telepathy to transmit sound, image, and even unfamiliar tactile sense to the player, applying alchemy to anime and galge, so to speak the <Ultimate virtual reality of Moe>.

Even though Kazuki had watched anime with Kanae before, this was the first time he had ever stepped foot in this zealous town. When Lotte got off from the train, she “Oh my godOh mein Gott!” leaked out cries of joy.

“Unfassbar! How amazingErstaunlich desu! Anime I have never seen before are scattered all around the city desu!”

“…Looking carefully, posters of galge with warning of 18+ was pasted boldly all around in the open during daytime, is this really okay? Shouldn’t this be sold more secretly than this?”

Now that was mentioned, was this really a place for a date?

“No, this is…this is…magnificent!”

The one who appeared so suddenly beside Kazuki was Prophet’s avatar.

A diva felt that galge was magnificent…?

“In short, this is the place where greed was materialized by the transcendence of material control using their mental activity…the human race does not need to be shackled by their flesh anymore regarding their sexual desire. The significance of flesh was eliminated in an ultimate civilization. The people who have their mind sublimated using this galge have transcended the concept of their flesh and transformed into hermaphroditic angels, though having said that is not an exaggeration at all. Like what was mentioned in Kabbalah, when the conclusion of the age of the Earth come and humans step into the age of the Ram. The most beautiful of the human race is already here! Lotte, let’s go buy a souvenir and return home.”

With tensions that looked completely like a drunk person, Prophet said some incomprehensible things.

Even Leme also materialized besides Prophet and “Uh huh” nodded along.

“A love simulation game huh…It might be useful for Our King's education in love.”

“Prophet! Leme-san! Today is the date of Kazuki-onii-san and me, just the two of us desu!”

Lotte said so while puffing her cheeks, Prophet twitched in surprise and disappeared.

Leme too said “Sorry, I became a hindrance just now” and withdrew.

“Well then, first let’s visit some of the workshops. How about if we look around for some new anime that Lotte hasn’t seen yet? Well, not like I know anything in that area though. What kind of anime does Lotte like to see?”

“Man and woman…I like man and woman romance desu!”

Lotte pulled Kazuki’s hand happily to a workshop that was decorated with Moe illustrations.

“If Onii-san is not well-informed of anime, then as someone without background knowledge, I want to ask which one is Onii-san’s number one preference, seeing from the girl’s illustration desu. Let’s discover Onii-san’s [Moe]!”

Kazuki smiled wryly to Lotte’s words. Somehow it was scary to reply thoughtlessly.

“Okay, let’s buy everything that looks interesting and go home. We’ll watch a lot until we drop as soon as possible.”

“…Watching until we drop, is it?”

―After all from now on, Lotte would have a future to look forward to.

“I watched anime and manga the whole time I was in the sick bed desu. Though in the area around Germany, everything that are categorized as contradicting the Mythology there, are prohibited desu.”

Lotte talked suddenly while taking a package of anime.

“As I grew older, I could feel in my skin how the country rapidly idolized the teaching of the faith. Originally there were no scriptures of Norse Mythology. Then for the sake of spreading the faith, they compiled a new scripture. There was a lot of really strict taboo and commandment. An example is the teaching of Odin where the creation of things to fulfill their own desire must be denied desu. The truth is that the weapon and tool of Norse gods, everything, were only presents from others.”

The alchemists were producing new things everyday, and while they were looking around in the middle of the workshop that displayed and sold those things, Lotte whispered “Strange isn’t it, those teachings?”

“There are also people that were able to live well rather than being tied to commandments. However I could only think about how all of it impaired my heart. From the start I already have my body impaired, and with all that, even my heart also became impaired. I thought that I couldn’t be called alive anymore, right?...Then I ask for something unreasonable for the butler and maid to collect manga and anime for me desu.”

Lotte started to recollect the days she spent on her bed.

“Even when I was in the middle of watching anime, various events were happening outside. For example…the successor fight. Humans that are strong in magic power have high status in Seinmundo. I am a human with very strong magic power desu. That’s why, even though my life was already like a candle in the middle of a blowing wind, people that planned to elevate me started to appear. Even though I don’t have any intention for that.”

A fight for succession in the royal court. It was a world unknown to Kazuki who was born and raised in Japan, except for those inside the tale.

Human relationship that was like a swamp where they couldn’t escape, a whirlpool of conspiracies―such things might have happened to this girl just like the image of that tale.

“People who wanted to use me and got promoted…people who ostracized me as an existence who brought chaos in the royal court…everyone around me turned into people who had various ulterior motives, everyone hid their real intention from me, saying things that didn’t exist in their heart. They took attitudes full of sympathy as family, on the surface desu. …Despite my power to perceive their real intention by telepathy.”

Lotte smiled wryly in cynicism. She had that kind of ability, so she got to this point of her life having more experience being betrayed than anyone.

“My environment was surrounded by people who wore masks, I who was dying at that time didn’t want to live in the world of reality anymore, I wanted to live in the fickle world of anime. So…I felt that I was born again when I escaped to this country desu.”

Inside that workshop, there was no love anime that was Lotte’s favorite.

Exiting the workshop, Lotte squinted her eyes from the radiant clear sky of Akihabara.

“…Even so, in the end, I couldn’t become free…the dark shadows came to chase me.”

At that time, figures of knights in the road of the spacious pedestrian mall entered their eyes.

Among the white knights who patrolled Akihabara, a black German knight was mixed in.

Lotte was startled and afraid.

“It’s okay.” Kazuki embraced the shoulder of the shivering girl.

“Those guys absolutely couldn’t do anything in this place.”

While keeping Lotte’s shoulder in his embrace, the group of knights walked towards their direction. Then they passed them. The moment they passed each other, the black German knight glanced their way.

“It’s okay to only think about fun things today. I will absolutely protect you.”

Kazuki transmitted his feelings to Lotte using telepathy and a heart mark flew from Lotte’s chest.

“I somehow…have no other person I can rely other than Onii-san, so I’m scared of my own feelings desu. Somehow keeping like this, I want to cling to Onii-san so much…Is it really okay, for me to be spoiled by Onii-san…”

Rather, Kazuki thought that Lotte is too over-conscious to the atmosphere of their surroundings.

Her telepathy magic might be a sad tendency, because it made her learn that there were only people that she couldn’t rely on around her.

“I wonder, the characters that Onii-san prefers are similar to everyone in the Witch’s Mansion, isn’t it?”

Lotte made fun of Kazuki amusingly.

“I, I don’t have any background knowledge of anime, so I was influenced unintentionally by reality.”

Lotte laughed heartily hearing Kazuki’s excuse.

“So Kazuki-oniisan likes everyone in Witch’s Mansion desu. I wonder if I’m also like that, my preference of anime character has also changed. If it’s Onii-san, to everyone in the Witch’s Mansion…”

Kazuki hoped that Lotte would also turn like that to everyone in the Witch’s Mansion. So that the current Lotte can also have a place where she belongs.

Kazuki held bags from workshops packed full of anime’s Ultra-shortwave Ray DiskURD that was their war gains, in both hands. All those anime were filled with the appearance of characters that resembled the Witch’s mansion’s residents. Kazuki would also watch it together and have fun with Lotte.

…However the problem was which one (which character that’s going to come out) that they were going to watch first in turns.

“Well then, how about going to a game center next so we can play a two person game?”

There was a large scale game center in Akihabara that they wouldn’t be able to find around the Knight Academy.

The game center business that was once thought to be on the decline, received their second wind because of the alchemic game’s craze.

Objects that were invented using advanced alchemy, whether it was a game or something else, were unsuitable for mass production, that’s why alchemy game was more suited for the use of large scale businesses rather than for residential use.

The alchemy game in game centers had even more dynamic virtual reality that could be experienced personally compared to the alchemy game for residential use.

On the contrary, gal game had became the mainstream for residential use because it didn’t need high specs.

When they entered the game center, the atmosphere couldn’t be compared to anything they saw until now, what with all the overflowing sounds and lights. Everywhere was filled with over the top devices and clamoring people. Lotte’s eyes were darting about.

“All these devices just for the sake of playing…what a lovely pointlessness isn’t it?”

“Looks like it’s not the style of this town to consider playing as pointless. What kind of game shall we play?”

Without even a bit of hesitation, Lotte chose the gun-shooting zombie to the death action game that can be experienced in person.

“Somehow, I feel that I have the confidence to handle a gun desu!”

―After the game ended, Lotte told Kazuki while keeping her face from laughing.

“Kazuki-oniisan…is not really strong in a game isn’t it desu?”

“…No, damn, why, it’s eerie how I cannot read the enemy’s movement in the game! That was not real at all! For them to be proofed against my father’s Hayashizaki-style…if only they also focused more in reproducing the muscle actions or their breathing!”

“Kazuki-oniisan, it doesn’t matter what kind of excuse you make desu! …Pupuu!”

Kazuki was one-sidedly helped by Lotte, who attacked splendidly with her gun, even though she was surprised and going ‘kyaakyaa’ by the approaching zombies. …How frustrating. He wanted to train more and improve.

“…It’s fun to play with two people rather than playing alone desu! Onii-san who needed to be saved by me is somehow cute desu♪”

A heart mark flew from Lotte by her smiling face, Kazuki was thinking “Well, this is fine.”

The next thing Lotte was interested in was the print sticker machine.

“I have seen this before in anime! Both of the boys and girls enter and it can photograph small stickers of commemoration picture, right desu? It’d make a cute photo ornament!”

“Though I think it’s also okay for two boys to enter.”

“Kazuki-oniisan, logically that’s true but…!”

This print sticker machine had a strong image related with couples, and today they came for dating, so Kazuki and Lotte entered the box without hesitation.

The two of them were isolated from the crowd inside the narrow space, it really made the mood like that of an embarrassed couple. Kazuki didn’t understand what kind of face was good to make in front of the camera, in the end, he made a peace gesture while his expression was half grimacing and half smiling―

In his side Lotte was tiptoeing on her feet while kissing ‘chuu’ Kazuki’s cheek.

The sound of the shutter’s click reverberated at that moment.

Lotte laughed in embarrassment ‘tehehe’ looking at Kazuki who stiffened his body.

“The meaning of what Onii-san said before, about how it’s no good to kiss someone who is not your special person, I understand it properly now. I already understand it so…it’s okay right desu?”

Lotte held the sticker’s result showing the two idiot couple happily in her hands.

“The memory of the two of us desu.”

Memory―By chance if there was no future for Lotte, all this would be meaningless.

“This is a weird story but, I, from the time when Onii-san scolded me in the bathroom because I was naked, I feel that Onii-san really saw me as a human desu. Then Onii-san also said that he’d protect me…Onii-san looked so reliable and I was so happy that my heart beats so fast and my feeling felt like it was going to burst…Right now, I, I love Onii-san so much desu. If I could have a future, I want to have even more special relationships between man and woman. …Am I too spoiled?”

Lotte who peeked above at Kazuki’s expression with upturned eyes shyly caused Kazuki to be filled up with the desire to impulsively hug her. From that sort of Lotte, a vision of a key floated from her chest. <The key of the heart>. It was absorbed into Kazuki’s ring.

They were tired from playing games, so now they are planning to relax in a café.

“…Summon cosplay café-Solomon Wonderland?”

Among the lined up cafes in the main street, Lotte chose this one by saying “I want to enter this desu”, a store that feels like it was taking too much freedom in their naming scheme. Having said that, the other cafes were all maid cafés only though…

“Klasse desu. There is nothing but cute premonition from the store’s name.”

Lotte pulled Kazuki’s arm while breathing excitedly from her nose. What is it with this kind of hobby.

When they opened the door, a dazzling Solomon space awaited Kazuki and Lotte.

“Welcome―! Astaroth Keiko de―su!”

“Welcome! Zepar Fujiko desu!”

Welcome, Gamygyn Kanako desu.”

Various older girls each cosplaying a different Solomon 72 Pillar with bright voices, crowded around Kazuki and Lotte.

Astaroth was a fallen angel that grew black wings, Zepar was a demon that wore a red bikini armor, Gamygyn had the form of a death god who wore a skull necklace.

Of course their appearances were totally different with the Solomon 72 Pillar that the knights and knight cadets summoned. Each of the cosplayers were arranged to look like girls, it exposed their navels and thighs.

{Oi…what is with this café? What happened with Leme and the other’s copyrights!?}

Leme kept her silence throughout the date, but she couldn’t bear it any longer and retorted to Kazuki.

“Cute!” Lotte raised her voices. . Though he thought that whichever of them he saw were more sexy than cute.

“Is this your first time coming to this shop?”

The fallen angel, Astaroth Keiko-san was asking while jolting her black wings.

“The theme of this café is the present-day era of magic, a concept café.”

“Of course the café employees are cosplaying as Solomon 72 Pillar, we also lend the Solomon outfit to the Guest-sama.”

The knights were hero to this country, Solomon 72 Pillar were also popular to the general population. This was surprising but it might be natural for this kind of development to make an appearance in Akihabara.

“The corner where we served the food and drinks is separated, we also arranged for petting corner where the Guest-sama can pet and play around with the fearsome Demon Beasts.”

“Demon Beast…petting them?”

To Kazuki’s doubtful expression, the god of death Gamygyn Kanako-san, pointed to the space where it was partitioned by glass walls in the depth of the café. There was a door in the glass wall where people could freely come and go. Over there, a few customers were―frolicking around with puppies.

“…Hey, those are not Demon Beasts but puppies right?”

It seems this café was a cosplay café cum puppy café.

“Wrong, those are the existence of Demon Beast that should be talked about with dread, the [Holy Temple WatchdogSaint Bernard] from the dreadful legend of [The Dog of Flanders] that couldn’t be told without tears flowing.”

“Adding that ‘Saint’ is only to appeal to the chuunibyou even though that was only a breed of dog, isn’t it!?”

“I want to cosplay desu!” Lotte announced her choice excitedly.

“Then please this way.”

Zepar Fujiko-san took Lotte’s hand and guided her to the changing room. There was a legend about the demon called Zepar that she would take the opposite sex the summoner wished for, though it didn’t have any relation at all with this occasion.

“Please play with the Demon Beasts while waiting for that Guest-sama changing her clothes.”

For the moment Kazuki passed through to the food corner and came to the petting corner.

There was a puppy inside that cramped space, when Kazuki came, it immediately dashed at full speed and frolicked at Kazuki’s feet. Kazuki received a shock like he was hit in the chest.

…Cute. Kuh, a swordsman of all people had his heart stolen by this fluffy creature, like a girl caught by a smooth talker in the street…! A swordsman must keep his composure at all times!

Kazuki sat in place while feigning calmness and then while he was petting that puppy,

“Guest-sama, look here, this child was just born not long ago.”

Astaroth Keiko-san led a especially small puppy, like she was trying to tempt Kazuki to fall into depravity, and made him carry the puppy in his arm. Exactly like the deed of a fallen angel.

With white and brown patterns characteristic of the Saint Bernard, it also had the trait of clever and friendly personality to humans. Saint Bernard was a type of dog that was large and strong, but there was nothing but puppies in this place.

The puppy that was just born not long ago had a cute and chubby face, its round eyes looked up to Kazuki with a sure-kill devilish cuteness. Kazuki couldn’t hold back anymore and finally “Shit, it’s cute! This animal…is super cute!”, he buried his face in the puppy to enjoy its fluffiness and smoothness like a man possessed.

“Onii-san, I have finished changing!”

Sounds of footsteps came from the direction of the changing room, when he turned back―Lotte had transformed into a cute puppy.

“Wha, what kind of Solomon 72 Pillar is that?”

“Glasya Labolas desu wan!”

{That was just a puppy! Glasya Labolas has a pair of griffon wings, possessing high power for bloodshed, a huge dog like a monster you know!}

Leme yelled inside Kazuki’s head, vehemently expressing her protests.

Lotte donned a drooping dog’s ears, fluffy fur around her neck, and wearing a fur bikini while nonchalantly exposing her white skins. A poor excuse for wings were attached to her back.

“So, somehow isn’t the exposure degree too high…!? Even if you compared it to the other people’s cosplay!”

“Fufufu, I know that Onii-san’s heart was beating so fast right now! This is well matched for me, furthermore I chose this so Onii-san will be aware of me as the number one girl desu!”

Lotte unexpectedly thought such a thing like a little devil…!?

Lotte hugged Kazuki along with the other puppy. Did the other puppies thought of Lotte as their comrade? They also came together to frolick at Kazuki.

When the puppy licked Kazuki’s cheek, Lotte also licked Kazuki’s other cheek with ‘peropero’.

“Onii-san…wan!”

“Lo, Lotte, what in the world are you…!”

“Lotte is a dog wan!”

Damn, as a swordsman, I won’t be shaken by this kind of animal cosplay…!

{No, Glasya Labolas is not cute like that…he look more like a gorilla dog…}

Leme’s words couldn’t enter Kazuki’s head anymore.

“Onii-san, please be [affectionate] to Lotte like what you did to that puppy while you were waiting for me!”

“You, you saw that! The moment when I lost my senses to this puppy!!”

Kazuki was “Cu, cute, cute” and stroked Lotte’s head stiffly.

“Onii-san, you were more intense when you were affectionate to that puppy desu! Please do the same to me, is this puppy cuter than me desu?”

There was no way the puppy could be cuter than Lotte.

“Cute! Shit, you’re so cute! Super cute!”

“Onii-san, right now you’re thinking that I’m super cute, it’s so thrilling desu♪”

Kazuki turned desperate and hugged Lotte’s hips as tightly as he could and nuzzled her. “Wan, wan♪” A heart mark flew from Lotte and she kept licking Kazuki’s cheek happily.

It was a space where their strange hobby awakened.

“Kazuki-oniisan…this, might be the happiest I ever felt in my life…”

“Guest-sama, please try to present them with this food.”

The god of death Gamygyn Kanako-san came and handed over cookies to Kazuki.

Lotte opened her mouth and ‘a―n’, so Kazuki fed her the cookie, then Lotte was ‘Wan, wan! Ku~n♪” and chewed with a large smiling face. This high spirited behavior…!

“The normal Guest-sama usually were too shy to do this, but…this is the first time a Guest-sama turn completely into Solomon like this.”

{Uuu, Leme and the other Solomon 72 Pillar are not like this at all!}

“Please accept this Best Solomon & Summoner award.”

For some reason Kazuki and Lotte were awarded with a trophy.

“Onii-san, next time let’s bring Mio-oneesan here too.”

“Wh, why?”

“Mio-oneesan dressed in a slightly indecent costume, imagining her blushing red face and her licking Onii-san ‘peropero’ while acting embarrassed…that’d be extremely cute desu. That’s Moe desu.”

What is this devil’s plan?

Kazuki tried to imagine it…A troubled Mio shaking her head in fluster with her twintails going ‘bunbun’.

“This is the best day in my life desu♪” Lotte was laughing while saying that.

Lotte's positivity level increased up to 80.

It is possible to use Prophet’s magic up to level 3 with those numbers.

―Thus in the next day, Kazuki would face the fight of his destiny.

Chapter 5 – The Qualification of the Living

Part 1

There were many quests that they could challenge leisurely during the holiday weekend, but there was no reason they couldn’t put a challenge after school during the weekdays. As to what Kazuki decided beforehand, he would accept the quest immediately on Monday, the day after the date.

On that fated day’s lunch break, Kazuki received an abrupt summon.

[First year class two Hayashizaki Kazuki-kun, urgent, please go to Tsukahara of Sword Division. I repeat…”

He didn’t understand why the one that called him was not the Magic Division but the Sword Division.

The Knight Academy was divided between the MagicaMagic Division and the Sword Division. This was the first time that Kazuki entered the Sword Division’s area. Even though they told him to go to the place of a teacher called [Tsukahara], he didn’t know if it was really okay to be here. It’d be fine if he went to the staff room, but…he didn’t know where the staff room was located. Kazuki who had no other choice, took out his mobile phone.

“Love, is magnetic! Drawn by Onii-sama’s love, the Storm Cat, here I am reporting!”

Immediately after he sent a message, his step-sister, Kanae arrived dramatically like a gale force.

“…I feel guilty you know, to arrive that happily just because I called you to guide me…”

“I see, this is the continuation of the previous school tour date that was ruined before by that breast monster from somewhere, right? Kanae is much better in giving a school tour compared to that breast monster! Well then, let me first guide Onii-sama to the Sword Division dorm’s room of Kanae! For the time being we’re going to spend the break there tenderly…”

“No, I was summoned here so we have no time to do that kind of thing.”

“Eeeh!? There was no time for flirting around!? How could that be!?”

While her shoulders dropped in dejection, Kanae guided him from the entrance to the staff room.

“But it’s strange, for Onii-sama to be summoned to the Sword Division.”

“I’m also completely ignorant as to why I was summoned here. I wonder if it’s for scolding.”

“That teacher named Tsukahara Hisatada is a gentle teacher, so I think that’s not it. His appearance is delicate looking from the glasses he wears, but he gives a feeling of someone who has ulterior motives in his mind. Kanae is poor with that kind of person though.”

They hesitatingly advanced through the Japanese-style garden, and then entered the school building that looks like a wooden row house. The building was not particularly high. Inside this two-story building were classrooms lined up widely and horizontally in a row.

The atmosphere in the Magic Division felt like Europe in the Middle Ages, while the atmosphere in the Sword Division felt like Japan of a long time ago. Even though this was during lunch break, sounds of swords clashing could be heard from somewhere. It was a dear sound that was once a part of Kazuki’s daily life.

Here was the Sword Division―the place where he should have been if he had a different fate―wasn’t it?

They walked in the warm wooden corridor, “Here is the staff room.” and finally arrived at their destination.

“To, to be dismissed when we only just got here…it’s so lonely, very lonely…! Where in the world could I vent this uncontrolled love for Onii-sama!!”

“Vent it in your sword training.”

“Then, I will become the strongest swordsman―n!!”

This was the two-person comedy act of this brother and sister for the first time in a long while, so

“Call me if Onii-sama is going to come again to the Sword Division, okay☆?” Kanae waved her hand and left.

―When he entered the staff room, one of the teachers saw the uniformed figure of Kazuki and “Here, here.” Waved his hand over. Kazuki weaved his way between the desks and headed towards that person.

Some of the teachers were eating lunch boxes and cup ramen, the room was filled with smells that tickled his stomach.

“You finally came, I have heard about you from various people.”

Tsukahara-sensei was just as Kanae told him, he wore glasses and looked fragile, a male teacher that had an intellectual air.

“Currently you are under the charge of Liz Liza-sensei right? She was my partner when we were in active duty. She is a teacher with a strong and straightforward sense of justice. Oops, I forgot to give you my name, I am Tsukahara Hisatada. Similar with Liz Liza-sensei, I’m just an underling that still has a long way to go, I teach the practical skills in the Sword Division. Though I was challenged by your big sister and lost, hahaha.”

“I think Kanae can improve if she received training from a person like sensei.”

It seems Tsukahara-sensei was the type that wield their sword based on theory. Kazuki felt that somehow.

Because Kanae was the type that wields her sword by instinct, she could learn a lot of things from this teacher.

“Hahaha, thank you.”

Tsukahara-sensei laughed in the way that he couldn’t understand whether he was seriously happy or not. He then jumped the gun on the talk.

“There are some people that want to meet you.”

Saying so, he stood up from the desk and urged Kazuki to follow him.

Some people that wanted to meet him…there was no one that he could think of.

Kazuki followed Tsukahara-sensei like he was told.

The two exited the staff room, this time they entered a room labeled as [Reception Room].

Inside were two people he had a recollection of―the two knights he encountered inside the forest of the Haunted Ground. The knights who confiscated the Sacred Treasure Kazuki and the others discovered, who then came barging into his fight with Beatrix, those two.

“Yaa! Thank you for that time before.”

The male swordsman amicably said so to Kazuki and with a smiling face.

The female Magica Stigma regarded Kazuki with ‘puih’ and averted her face.

“I’m a <Police Knight> attached to the <Knight Order of Chubu Jurisdiction>, Kondou Hajime.”

“…The same as police knight, Souma Yukari.”

The Knight Order was divided into their respective subdivision at eight district with their own jurisdiction zone, which were: Hokkaido – Touhoku – Kantou – Chubu – Kinki – Chuugoku – Shikoku – Kyuushuu, with the Tokyo Metropolis Knight Order Headquarters at the top.

The police knight is the lowest ranking member of the Knight Order. The majority of the knights that just graduated from the knight academy started their career from that rank.

“Knight Academy’s first year, Hayashizaki Kazuki.”

When Kazuki gave out his name with a slight timidity, the knight – Kondo-san came and gripped Kazuki’s hand tightly.

“…Your sword skill left a deep impression on me.”

Kazuki reflexively thought of Torazou-san. He felt the same test between those two.

“Err…what kind of business did you come here for?”

There was no way his reason in coming here was just to say that. He didn’t understand why they came here with only saying, "that he left a deep impression", instead he got even more confused. Kondou-san released his hand and then moved on to the important matter.

“Both of us have something we want to pass to you.”

“I only came because Kondou said he wanted to do this no matter what.”

The Magica Stigma Souma-san, that wore a white uniform today, said so with a sullen face.

“Souma-san, didn’t he save both of our lives?”

“Ugh. …Well, it’d be unbearable if we died in this kind of mission, so I’ll give you my gratitude.”

Souma-san nodded her head slightly while saying so.

…Mission? Now that she mentioned it, why were they in that kind of place?

As members of the Chubu Jurisdiction Knight Order, it was not their jurisdiction.

Other than the knights who belonged to the Tokyo Knight Order Headquarters, no other knight should operate here in Tokyo.

“…By all means, this person stands at the top as a swordsman. He is not a bad person.”

“Stop saying unnecessary things and go to the main topic already! Kondou!”

“Actually at that time, we had a peculiar little mission at that Haunted Ground . …We couldn’t give any particulars to you about it, but…unluckily we encountered Beatrix there. The one who cooperated with the Einherjar in Loki’s subjugation effort were the guys at Tokyo Knight Order Headquarters, so regarding Beatrix, we hadn’t heard anything at all.”

Tacit consent for the assassination of the refugee, Lotte―such a story was not something that should be known far and wide. It seems even inside the Knight Order, the members who knew about this were only the minority.

They came to the Haunted Ground because of some special mission and got swallowed up in this scheme.

“After that, they explained the circumstances to us along with the order to shut our mouth.”

“This is truly a disgusting story.”

Both Kondou-san and Souma-san puckered their faces unpleasantly.

“However after we heard the story…we were wondering if it’s you, you can protect that refugee Lotte from Beatrix so then we came here. You plan to do that, right? I thought so.”

Kazuki couldn’t respond to that honestly. Kazuki glanced at Tsukahara-sensei who happened to be present in the room. Tsukahara-sensei showed a smile in his mouth like he was saying not to mind him.

“Therefore the thing that I want to hand over to you is…this.”

Thereupon, Kondou-san placed his hand on the luggage sitting on top of the reception room’s glass table. A long, narrow, and robust bag made of cloth―a sword bag. An item used to carry a katana that was sheathed inside its scabbard.

The moment Kondou-san passed over the bag―Kazuki felt the sensation of his magic power being absorbed by the [content inside]. He had a recollection of this sensation.

“Is this…the Sacred Treasure that was dedicated in that shrine?”

“Right, the one that we confiscated from your hands at that time, that katana. After we returned, we made a written report regarding our mission tentatively, but…it was not official because it was only a peculiar mission so various things were quite vague. This Sacred Treasure was also stored in the warehouse without undergoing formal procedure, so there was no proof left behind when we simply swiped this thing and came over here.”

“I’m against this, just so you know. This is all on your own.”

Souma-san was glaring, Kondou-san laughed indifferently.

“There’d be no problem if you returned it immediately after you are finished with it. Also the content of the mission is a secret, no way they are going to go public with this. …Also because you are the escort of Jiisan-sensei’s daughter. Hahaha.”

Towards Kazuki who was uneasy whether it was okay or not to accept this thing, Tsukahara-sensei let out a laugh.

“Isn’t it okay, even if it is properly stored in the Knight Order’s warehouse, it can't be used effectively. It’d be fine if you manage the use of the Sacred Treasure moderately. After all as a former knight, I’m also one of the people that felt dissatisfaction towards the way the Knight Order handles the Sacred Treasures.”

“I know that Tsukahara-sensei is that type of person, so he contacted Hayashizaki-kun and from the beginning I was to hand this over. Now that I mentioned that, Tsukahara-sensei was always connected with Sacred Treasures illegal channels…”

“Hey, shut up about that.”

Tsukahara-sensei, who was smiling warmly, suddenly turned cold and glared at Kondou-san.

“You get too carried away, Kondou.” Souma-san also glared to Kondou-san.

“Ehem. Well, anyway it’s not righteous to just keep following the rules. I can’t possibly think that the government and the Knight Order’s way of doing things are righteous. If it’s you, you should be able to use this Sacred Treasure in its proper meaning. I have seen your fight with Beatrix, as a swordsman, I genuinely aspired to that level you've shown me. And then, I noticed that the power this katana has will be useful if you want to win against Beatrix. Because of that, I couldn’t just stay quiet and do nothing.”

The sacred treasure was an item that absorbed its owner’s magic power in order to invoke the characteristic magic of the Sacred Treasures, just like Summoning Magic.

This Sacred Treasure…could it become one of the pieces that could fill the difference between me and Beatrix?

Kazuki accepted the bag containing the Sacred Treasure. Kondou-san grabbed Kazuki’s shoulder.

“Those that are called swordsmen, sacrificed themselves for their own justice in a straightforward manner. With this katana…I want you to cut apart the dark fate that shadowed the girl named Lotte in your confrontation against that absurdity.”

Part 2

The quest that Kazuki and the others undertook was to liberate the shopping mall inside the city from its transformation into a Haunted Ground.

It seems the time from when it started to turn into a Haunted Ground was still recent, as the size was not too big. Normally, Kazuki and the others could achieve the clear condition with just their three people party in the time after the school was over.

After school, an email from Kaya arrived in his cellphone and told him to come quickly. However Kazuki never gave Kaya his email address. How in the world did she find his email address…

They arrived at their destination area at 4:00 PM by riding the magic train.

When everything is over, it’d be nice to eat delicious dinner together with everyone in the Witch’s Mansion, Kazuki thought.

Kazuki and the others went through the procedures at the Gate, and entered the Haunted ground.

At the same time they entered the Haunted ground, Mio and Lotte performed their Access and transformed into their Magic Dress’ forms.

The former knight stationed at the gate wasn’t able to understand what's happening inside the Haunted Ground. Their magic power had already weakened and they had no more fighting strength. Because of that, their job was to check from the outside whether there was a human who carelessly entered inside. They didn't step inside the Haunted ground, not even once.

Kaya however had already entered this Haunted Ground, to a certain degree, she had already cleaned up the Demon Beasts.

As proof, the inside of the Haunted Ground had mostly returned to its normal Shopping Arcade’s appearance.

At the end of their destination, the one waiting for them at the crossroads in the center of the arcade was a bound and wounded zombie with the figure of Kaya, kicking and grinding the downed zombie.

“Being tied and then getting stepped on…yet to get turned on by this act….Onii-chan! The current Kaya is shining bright in the color of chaos!!”

Kaya laughed sadistically while she was grinding the pitiful zombie.

“Kazu-nii…is that really Kaya…?”

It seemed so.

“Onii-chan…what in the world are they doing…?”

…From what was happening, it seems that the SM play belonged under Chaos.

“This Haunted Ground is so small. We turned the tables on the Demon Beasts that came to attack, and while waiting, we had annihilated all the Demon Beasts without even knowing it. Zombies are the Demon Beasts that reigned in this Haunted Ground, this guy is probably the last one. …Mio-chan, long time no seee!”

When Kaya’s eyes met with Mio's, she hugged her excitedly.

“Ka, Kaya…long time no see! I, have a lot of things I want to talk about…”

“Sorry for the other day, I killed you together with Loki.”

Kaya whispered in Mio’s chest. Mio who was smiling before froze.

“Kazuki-oniisan…this person is…”

"We only cooperated with him temporarily, don’t mind her too much.”

“It’s cruel for Onii-chan to say that, even though Kaya’s heart throbbed so violently this past hour!”

Kaya separated from Mio in a flash and rotated around ‘kurukuru’ while saying such false-sounding words.

Well then…thanks to Kaya’s overkill activity, there’d be no worry about Demon Beast’s interrupting.

“But with all these preparations waiting, even Beatrix would suspect something wouldn’t she? She might notice the abnormality and stop her attack.”

“Onii-chan really doesn’t understand the opponent’s personality. This was the Thor from the Norse Mythology and the Magica Stigma that was chosen by that Thor you know? Those muscle-brained, battle-maniac combination won’t cancel their attack just because of a little suspicion yeah.”

“…Exactly like that girl said. She really understood my character well. Waiting in an ambush like this, lad, you too really loved the fight with me huh?”

The one who hailed Kaya’s words―from the direction of the shopping mall’s entrance, a low voice like steel came. While the sound of the military shoes ‘katsukatsu’ rang out, the woman in black military uniform came walking to them.

“The god, Thor. For the soldier who wish for Valhalla, descend from Asgard and show those fierce appearance. I too will show the soul of a hero. God of wars of Asgaard, I am right here!”

Finishing her Access promptly, she drew out her sword in her armored Valkyrie’s form.

“Well then, let’s use that Demon Beast’s neck as the trigger for this battle! It’s fine to start whenever you like.”

“It’s really a bloodthirsty proposal fitting for those guys in Norse Mythology. Then, let’s immediately…”

The same time Kaya gave her reply to Beatrix―Kaya’s right arm emitted a blue light of magic power.

Just like when a uniform transformed into Magic Dress, Kaya’s thin arm that stretched from the sleeve of her shirts grew thick like the arm of a different person, even the color of her skin transformed into the color of the different arm. …Is that, Loki’s arm…?

“Sacred Treasure’s EncroachmentWeapon Invite!”

And then when Kaya yelled, a crack appeared in the area of her wrist. Jet black liquid spilled over…it transformed into a silver one-handed sword full of ornaments, gripped by the suspicious-looking right arm of Kaya.

“<Burtgang> huh. Not a bad renowned sword, but it’s nothing more than a Sacred Treasure that has an image of breaking with a snap. Sometimes only strange things come out from this magic.”

While complaining, Kaya casually swung the sword―the zombie’s neck flew.

The spark for the fight had been ignited.

“Berserk!!”

At the same time, with her quick spell chanting, Beatrix reinforced her whole body and reflexes.

Then she charged Kazuki in a straight line.

“Barrett!”

“Prophet, Fire!”

Mio and Lotte’s attack magic came flying, but Beatrix easily repelled those with her shield.

With her quick step, Beatrix unleashed her usual strong sword.

Kazuki met the attack while also chanting his spell. When Kazuki redirected Beatrix’s strong sword, Beatrix grinned like a child who just saw a magic trick.

Her expression seemed like it was saying, that it couldn’t be helped, that his unknown sword skill would make her excited.

―However, my bad, but this time I have no intention of letting you have a fight that was in your taste.

“This hand reach out to the height of Babel, now this hand grasp the lightning bolt of the god! In accordance with my life, lightning, whirled with my breath! Collider Field!!”

Kazuki invoked Prophet’s level 3 magic combining it with the sword fight. In front of Beatrix’s eyes, Kazuki’s left hand was equipped with a gauntlet that contained electric energy.

Kazuki wasted no time in unleashing those energy.

“Whatt!?”

In a distance where their sleeves could almost touch each other, Beatrix was swallowed by the whirlpool of electricity. Streams of electricity wreaked havoc from the inside of Beatrix’s armor and helmet that boasted high defensive power.

When the energy was used up, the gauntlet disappeared. It was a level 3 magic, so as far as Kazuki was concerned, it was a magic with time limit. It was however an effective magic against an opponent who came to challenge him in close-quarters.

“Lad, you bastard! You’re not going to use just your sword skill…don’t betray my expectation!!”

“Only an idiot is going to challenge the same opponent, with the same way of fighting and the same challenge right from the front!”

Mio and Lotte rushed in right at that moment.

“Fire Wall!”

Mio used the chance when Beatrix was staggering from the attack she received, to boldly challenge her in close-quarter combat.

Walls of flames erupted from Beatrix’s feet. When Mio used this in a surprise attack, it was hard to completely evade this magic even though Beatrix has super reflexes and a flame-resistant shield.

“Prophet, Blitz!”

Moreover, Lotte also invoked an electric barrier with her gauntlet that scattered sparks around. While Beatrix’s blue defensive magic power was smashed―Beatrix glared at her original target, Lotte, with fury.

But she couldn’t just simply lay a hand on Lotte!

The space behind Beatrix was torn up.

“Dragon Invite!”

Kaya used Loki’s magic. Black drips spilled over into the torn up space, it changed into a gigantic green dragon with shining jade green scales and attacked.

“Kuh…Megingjörð!!”

Even while receiving damage, Beatrix chanted her second level reinforcement magic and her close quarter combat ability was increased even higher.

The claws of the attacking dragon were easily repelled by the strong swing with her super reflexes. But in that gap,

“”Barrett!””

Kazuki and Mio, who separated into two groups, shot their flame bullets in a crossfire. With the flame bullets coming from two fronts, the shield could only defend against one direction. One shot would certainly hit.

The power of Barrett was high even though it was only a level 1 magic. Toward Beatrix who staggered about because of the shock of smashed magic, the dragon opened its big mouth and snapped at her.

“Underhanded way of fighting…is not how a swordsman should fight!!”

Beatrix raised an angry voice. The next moment, her body accelerated into speed that couldn’t be caught by the naked eye―she released slashes in lightning speed, as she pleases, at the dragon.

Its whole body became minced meat, the dragon howled a cry of agony and death then disappeared.

If they allowed her consecutive attacks to continue, the frontline swordsman would just get killed instantly, like a joke, with the attack power that Beatrix currently had!

“That sword is a Sacred Treasure, but…your movement is like an amateur!”

Beatrix turned to Kaya and raised her sword.

“Dragon Invite!”

Kaya summoned a Demon Beast once again. But maybe because the accumulated time was short, the summoned dragon was small. Beatrix disposed of it in a single blow and approached Kaya.

But the current Kaya…was his comrade!

“Do you think I’ll let you!”

Kazuki who Foresighted Beatrix's movement, was barely able to obstruct her in front of Kaya, he redirected her sword and destroyed her posture with his skill.

Beatrix righted her posture forcibly and counter-attacked Kazuki.

Even from the front…it was fast!, but Kazuki redirected those swords one after another.

In that interval, Mio and Lotte’s attack magic flew.

“Bastards…!”

Beatrix, whose pace was thrown off-balance right from the start, leaked a furious voice. Then―

“Don’t expect me to go easy anymore! …Fjörgyn Megin!”

―She invoked the problematic element addition magic. If she could recite that spell, she could deal with Kazuki easily in close quarter battle. If the vanguard was lost, the party would be routed.

But the katana that Kazuki currently held was not [Path WindDoufuu] but the Sacred Treasure he received from the senior knight. Even though he felt that Doufuu was superior in sharpness, this katana possessed a special power.

“With this you bastard’s sword skill will be useless!”

“I wonder about that…Don’t think that everything will be the same like before!”

From Kazuki’s palm, the handle made of plain wood felt like it was breathing, it wanted to absorbed Kazuki’s magic power.

Kazuki accepted the Katana's demand and poured his magic power into it.

Thereupon, the Sacred Treasure transmitted it's [Will] to Kazuki as if it was answering him.

The power that this Sacred Treasure had, Kazuki perceived and understood it.

Then he chanted the Sacred Treasure’s name like when he was chanting a spell.

“Flash, <Lighning CutterRaikiri >!”

Raikiri―the Japanese katana that was said to be able to cut lightning into two, when swung by a master.

The same legends existed here and there, so there were several famous swords that took the name of [Raikiri].

The katana that Kazuki held in his hand was one of the swords among them.

Beatrix brought down her sword that possessed the lightning that fell from heaven.

Kazuki unleashed the power of Raikiri and met the attack.

The instant both swords clashed against each other―the electricity lost its flow and vanished like a mist.

“What…?”

Losing its lightning property, Kazuki didn’t try to oppose the strength of Beatrix’s attack that turned into a normal slash and redirected it. Beatrix who was absentminded staggered feebly like in a swimming motion.

“…To even prepare countermeasure for this…”

Beatrix’s weakness that Kaya pointed …her breadth of tactics was narrow. Kazuki was thoroughly prepared.

Even Beatrix’s magic power was whittled down by the attacks of four people.

Using the opportunity created by Beatrix’s agitation, Kaya slashed the sword that she held in her right hand .

Beatrix glared at Kaya scornfully.

“…Before having fun in the fight against this lad…I’ll reduce the number of the [bothers] first!”

Beatrix disappeared from Kazuki’s eyes.

The destination of her sword was―Kaya.

“Armor Invite!”

Just before Beatrix’s slash reached Kaya, Kaya summoned a [Cloak of Feather] and lightly danced in the air like a matador sidestepping a bull. Beatrix’s sword cut on empty space.

“That cloak of feather…that’s Freyja’s [Falcon’s PlumageFiaðrhamr]! The guy who could use that cloak of feather as he please, my faith’s Diva knows you and wants to talk! When I thought that the subjugation party was not able to discover you and yet to meet in this kind of place…Loki!”

“Achaa…I got exposed. The thing in question isn’t something Freyja used anyway, this feather cloak.”

While Kaya was dancing in the sky, she winked at Kazuki. That was the sign to use telepathy conversation in the middle of battle. Kazuki opened the wall of his heart, he received the telepathy message and adjusted his posture.

{My true color was exposed…the opponent will become serious soon you know, Onii-chan! Bother her constantly and don’t let her finish a high level magic!!}

To obstruct the enemy from chanting her spell, it was important to inflict damages to her somehow. And in addition to that, it was preferable to attack consecutively several times to annoy her.

But before Beatrix became a soldier, she was a fairly high level Magica Stigma.

He couldn’t obstruct her spell using a half-hearted attack.

Just like what Kaya pointed out, Beatrix started to spin a large magic power inside her.

Of course even while chanting her spell, Beatrix also continued fierce attacks toward this side.

Kazuki took the stance of Iai in order to exchange swords with Beatrix once again.

―Suddenly Beatrix averted her attention away from Kazuki.

Beatrix’s target changed…to Lotte. Kazuki understood that with Foresight, so he moved even earlier than Beatrix in order to protect Lotte, but―

“…I’m going to accelerate for real…can you protect her, lad!”

―With explosive superhuman power, Beatrix slipped from Kazuki’s side.

She got through!? …Her speed surpassed even his imagination!

“Prophet, Blitz!”

Lotte pulled a net of electricity against Beatrix who came near like a surging wave.

“…You bastard, what is the meaning of this, how could you use the same magic like that lad…?”

Beatrix stuck it out even while the electricity was hitting her body, and swung her sword down towards Lotte.

The [Seusenhofer] that protected Lotte’s body was pulverized in one hit.

However, Lotte fired the gatling gun, equipped in her right arm, directly to Beatrix.

All the bullets were pretty small but it managed to slow down Beatrix's advance.

In that time Mio’s Barrett flew.

In that interval, Lotte chanted her spell with the high speed that marked the forte of Magica Stigma, half possessed by her contracted Diva.

“Collider Field!”

An electromagnetic barrier expanded once more. Beatrix was again stopped by the net of electricity.

Finally Kazuki managed to chase Beatrix and interposed himself between her and Lotte. Lotte’s ability had the flexibility to cope with close-quarter combat as much as possible.

The four people concentrated their attacks again, Beatrix couldn’t help but interrupt her spell chanting.

…If they repeated this, they could win. But, the problem was…

Beatrix started the preparation of her high level magic from zero once more. Then,

“…The one who should be aimed at is not this one…but over there!”

Beatrix’s line of sight moved to Mio.

…Mio couldn’t use her Summoning Magic to cope with close-quarter combat like Lotte!

Since he had the necessary sword skill to handle Beatrix in close-quarter combat, there was a risk that the opponent would move her target to his comrades. Of course Kazuki had already thought of that.

Naturally, he had been aware of the difference in pure speed between him and Beatrix.

But as long he had the Foresight ability that was beaten into his body by his stepfather’s training, he could block Beatrix’s route even before she moved. He had the conviction to protect his comrades.

However, Foresight’s advantage was overturned mercilessly―just like a swift Forward that pierced through the defense line in a soccer game―Beatrix used her explosive acceleration to slip past Kazuki.

An overwhelming individual battle strength, to the degree that it overturned tactics.

If only he could chant Hiakari-san’s Moves in the Field, he could stop Beatrix.

If only he could use Hoshikaze-senpai’s Ride Lightning he could chase Beatrix, if only he could finish his spell chanting promptly like Kaguya-senpai…!

Those kind of thoughts flashed inside Kazuki’s mind. If only he was stronger…!

“Self Burning!”

Mio immediately chanted a defensive magic and prepared for the opponent’s attack.

Beatrix swung her sword downwards to Mio. Mio’s flame and Beatrix’s magic sword collided.

Before the flame could dissolve the sword, the magic power that covered the sword stole the heat from the flame and cooled the sword using Pyrokinesis to resist. The flame armor and the sword’s magic power offset and erased each other.

After an instant of opposition, the flame armor was stamped out and Beatrix’s sword cut Mio up.

The light of the defensive magic power scattered, Mio was blown off by the shockwave of the smashed magic.

“…Blazing Wings!”

However while Mio received damage, she chanted her spell. Mio flew to the sky using the strongest magic available to her. But for the current Beatrix, even the sky was not a safe area. Beatrix displayed an enhanced jumping power that could reach Mio’s height.

Mio mowed Beatrix using the wings of flame. Beatrix defends against that with her Sacred Treasure shield, <Svalinn>, fierce slash rained down at the sky.

Mio, clad with flame wings was crashing down to the ground in one go, by the destructive power of just that one blow.

―Before comparing the difference in power, including the shield made their compatibility really bad!

Kazuki ran while feeling impatient.

Lotte’s gatling gun and Kaya’s summoned Demon Beast were attacking Beatrix, but she brushed off those and kept continuing her spell chanting, she approached Mio to pierce her with a finishing blow.

The one he needed to protect was not only Lotte. Mio too…he absolutely wouldn’t let her get killed!

Kazuki charged in between Beatrix and Mio with a really close timing.

He redirected Beatrix’s sword with a risky distance.

Beatrix who had her sword redirected, grinned broadly.

“Onii-chan’s priority order is wrong! Stop her spell chanting even if Mio-chan is cut up!”

“…!”

The moment he noticed his blunder from Kaya’s rebuke, huge light exploded from the inside of Beatrix’s hand.

“Rage and blessing ran together in my war! As the agent of the god of war, I’ll bring down the rage and blessing of life to thy crown…Mjollnir!”

The explosive light intensifying was the mark of the super high level magic, forming into a large hammer with a short handle. The famous giant killing weapon told in legend with it's military prowess surpassing even Odin, synonymous with the god, Thor himself, <Mjolnir>. Its boorish appearance was typical of the Norse Mythology, just a plain hammer, however it probably possessed the strongest power in that Mythology. The hammer that boasted inexhaustible destructive power.

“You’re more naïve than I thought, lad. First starting from you―return back to Prima MaterialParticles!”

Beatrix brandished her hammer right before Kazuki’s eyes.

“Onii-chan…you idiot!”

Kaya thrusted herself in front of Kazuki while yelling. The Fiaðrhamr that covered her body moved like it was protecting its wearer, it defended Kaya’s front part and turned into an enclosing wall.

Furthermore, Kaya even set up her Sacred Treasure, Burtgang and attempted to block Mjolnir.

“Self Burning!”

Kazuki immediately chanted a defensive magic. When he realized Kaya stood ahead to cover him, he controlled the flame armor fluidly and transferred it to Kaya.

Behind Kazuki too, Mio also took defensive action. Her flame wings that she still maintained were spread wide to its limit as much as possible, it wrapped around Kaya to protect her.

A total of four defensive layer. Mjolnir was swung downward against those.

Just as soon as they thought that they could hold against it―a shockwave sound, resembling an explosion rang out.

Their eardrum felt like it would burst just from the noise.

Kaya’s Fiaðrhamr and Burtgang, both of the Sacred Treasures were smashed by Mjolnir in one breath.

The two layer of flame were also pierced easily.

And then the last wall―Kaya’s defensive magic power held against Mjollnir stubbornly. The blue light shone intensely, thereafter, the trio of Kazuki, Kaya, and Mio were blown off by the shockwave.

“…Kaya!?” Inside Kazuki’s mind, the majority of Kaya’s magic power were smashed and her breathing was rough.

“…I’m okay, I avoided instant death and magic intoxication. As expected, it was not nearly enough to just pile defenses like that. But, there is no second time. Mjolnir is not a magic that is unusable just by using it once…”

Kaya faced Kazuki and laughed provocatively.

“By the way and frankly, if Onii-chan attacks me right now and shave off all my magic power, you’d have a chance to exterminate Loki inside me, wouldn’t you?”

“Right now Kaya is my comrade. …I can’t do that kind of action.”

“Fufufuu, Onii-chan is naïve. Really…very naïve.”

Even though she said so in this kind of time, a floating heart mark flew from Kaya.

“…Loki. The god I serve has something he wants to talk over with you.”

Beatrix who was walking here removed her stance and whispered.

At her side―an avatar of a giant man was floating. The ideal that the violent Vikings worshiped, a strong muscled soldier with red pupils and a red beard.

“It’s not my real intention to subjugate you. Einherjar’s objective is the erasure of Charlotte Liebenfrau, Loki’s subjugation is nothing more than a pretext. It’s only a good opportunity.”

Thor talked with a grave tone of voice,

“Well, if you are going to exterminate me for real, there’d be no leisure to do it frivolously like this.”

Kaya, who stood from Loki’s standpoint, impudently insulted.

“Our chief god, Odin wished to establish a place to talk with you.”

Kaya warped her expression hearing Thor’s words, and she completely turned angry.

“Haa? Are you an idiot? …I’ll tell you what Loki is saying. Do you want a repeat of [The Dispute in the Sea God’s Mansion Lokasenna] again, you shitty bastard?”

Kaya yelled the verbal message from Loki intensely, complete with Loki’s own way of talking.

“I ain't got any plans to talk with you! No matter how many times I see you guys' faces, I’ll always refute, blame, contempt, and defile your inconsistent conduct for sure!! And then, I’ll murder the living shit of that shitty idiot Heimdall and that show-off geezer Odin. After that would be your turn, Thor!! The role to disgrace the pride of the ace of the gods is mine!”

“…I thought of you as my friend.”

“Aaaa, we have a lot of reminiscence huuhh. We crossdressed together huh. …Shuut uppp idiooott! From the beginning I am a giant from Jotunheim! A Half baked place like what you guys have, that is what I hated the most! …Well then! Midgardsormr!”

That snake was hiding inside the ground again!?

At the same time, with Kazuki’s admiration to that shrewdness, a gigantic snake gushed out from the ground.

When Kaya leaped and mounted the snake, her expression that was full of anger softened and she faced Kazuki.

“Onii-chan, it’s impossible for me to continue the battle, so I’m escaping first. I’ll tell you the last plan from Loki…it’s Onii-chan’s naivety that made her equip Mjolnir and caused this desperate situation, but in Onii-chan’s naivety that thought of bonds as something important…there is still a chance of winning. You understand right, what he means?”

“Earth Escape Earth BeastRandom Escape!”

Kaya and the snake were absorbed into the ground with ‘zuruzuruzuru!’ and disappeared.

Thor’s avatar also disappeared along with Loki’s escape. Looks like he had no interest other than Loki.

“Well then…now is the time of despair for you who remained here.”

In her hand was a blunt and shining hammer of legend, Mjolnir.

They would be pulverized into Prime Material if they were hit with that, a weapon of absolute destruction.

“…It’s fine already, Kazuki-oniisan.”

Lotte interposed between Kazuki and Beatrix while her head was looking down dejectedly.

“If that woman got hold of me, Onii-san and Onee-san would be saved right?”

“Hmm, it’s like that. My mission is to kill you. Though it’s obvious that those two are ignoring their [Order to stay quiet] and came attacking me, but it might turn into a problem later if I kill them.”

“Then I…I’ll resign myself properly…”

Resign…that’s what she says?

What was she doing…to talk about giving up like it was the correct thing to do…!

Tears were pooling inside Lotte’s eyes, she turned to Kazuki. Her face showed that she had thrown away all hopes to the extent that it pained him.

“I have been aware of this all along. I was aware of the feeling of everyone in my family using telepathy, that I brought unhappiness for them. I came to this country forcibly looking for asylum and everyone here had been kind to me since then, but…as expected, the black shadow came chasing for me here…If it keeps like this, everyone is going to be unhappy…”

“Wait, what are you saying…Lotte!”

Mio raised a strained voice while looking at her back.

That’s right, there is no way anyone would agree with something like this.

Don’t say it, Kazuki begged. The next words that would come from her lips, Kazuki didn’t want to hear from her.

“…As I thought, from the beginning, I should stop struggling unsightly and accept my fate of death desu…. It was only temporary, but the date was fun desu. Thank you very much…”

“Don’t screw with me! …To have to die even though you didn’t do anything wrong…I won’t allow that kind of fate! For Lotte to have to die…DON’T GO!”

Even in the case that Lotte herself gave up, even though it was for my own selfishness, I won’t let her go!

Kazuki hugged Lotte’s back who, in despair, walked powerlessly to Beatrix. He forcibly turned that thin and frail body to face him.

“It’s okay to not peek at other people’s expression, it’s fine to not doubt whether you deserve happiness or not! All those anxiety and black shadow―I’ll never let any of that touch you again!”

Lotte cried back and leaned against Kazuki with tears flowing.

“Why! How could you say that you’d protect me in this kind of situation desu! …How could you say such impossible thing honestly from your heart, to make me hope like this…!!”

That might be so. A powerless human might not have the qualification to say that kind of thing.

…I want power. Power to protect those important to me.

“Even so…I can’t agree to something like this ! I want to protect Lotte!”

Kazuki―pressed his lips to Lotte. He kissed her in one breath and separated their lips.

“Kiss of oath…what Onii-san said before, that it was only for an important person that you bet your whole life to protect…”

She recalled it, the explanation about kiss that Kazuki spoke of before, Lotte whispered absentmindedly.

That moment, raging heat ran through Kazuki’s left hand to his whole body.

The heat was connected to Lotte―changing into circuits of magic power, there the Diva’s―the essence of power of the ProphetDiva that even the Diva himself lost sight of, it headed to Kazuki and flowed into him.

“Lad, you bastard…what did you do just now, what is happening!? What in the world is that power…!?”

“Lotte…don’t say words like giving up for a second time! …Shem ha MeforashI know thy true name!!”

The spell that appeared in his head―Chant it!

“Thy true name is…Prometheus! Oh you who had savored both the height of pride and the lowest of hardships! In accordance with my life, show me that wisdom!!”

At Kazuki’s side―Prometheus whose form was a young boy until now materialized as a man in the prime of his life with a huge build.

Prometheus the Titan.

Even while he was a titan, at the Titanomachia between the gods of Olympus and the Titans, he foresaw the victory of the gods. The sage of wisdom at the side of the gods of Olympus.

After that, following Zeus’s command, he created the human race from the life of the earth, the father of everything.

The first humans didn’t even have furs or fangs, they were pitiful beings that did nothing but be afraid of the cold and the beasts. Prometheus disobeyed Zeus’s command and granted the fire of civilization and spoken words to humankind, he was [a person with even more compassion than god].

For that, Prometheus bore a long torture as punishment, and he was to be continuously detested by Zeus. And in order to grant suffering to humans, Zeus directed Pandora to cause heavy floods.

―However, humans, they who received strength from you who was in no way a god had never regret it in the least.

Owing to those things you provided to humans, we could help each other and be able to live, the connection of bonds gave birth to infinite hopes.

For all those reason right now once more―lend me your power.

Your power…I swear I won’t use it for the wrong things!

For the natural desire as a human, so Lotte could believe…!

“Oh BasilleusKing who lived for the sake of others, naturally, I will lend you my power.”

The titan Prometheus narrowed his silver eyes and gently smiled.

“Prometheus of the Greek Mythology…unthinkable big shot from the Chaos Side is coming out here! So that guy is this lad contracted Diva! Interesting…let’s see that strength!!”

“Oh seer who became father, if you discover hope in my future…cast the weapon to this hand for the sake of opening up the future! …Fire of CivilizationOlympia Forger!!”

Prometheus lit up a silver light of magic power. That was the magic power that was going through the circuit into Kazuki’s soul and hailed each other. Prometheus’ silver body flickered like a giant flame itself, and was absorbed into the katana in Kazuki’s hand, <Raikiri>. That huge magic power changed its form into the most suitable [Weapon] according to Kazuki’s soul.

Prometheus’ ultimate magic was [Weapon Creation]. He grasped it, and without meaning to, a smile floated in his face.

The weapon that Prometheus brought forth to Kazuki was―a Japanese katana. A katana that was the exact match [if Kazuki himself imagined] his ideal blade. In its scabbard and handle, there were no ornaments at all, a very simple shape.

It was so familiar, like he had already grasped this katana from the time he was born to now.

Kazuki gripped the katana tightly and confronted Beatrix.

“Let’s separate from Mio and Lotte. This will become a fight too dangerous if they were mixed up into it.”

Beatrix laughed pleasantly hearing Kazuki’s exaggerated words.

“Fufufu, soldier to soldier, facing each other in an interesting battle. My soul would be invited to Valhalla even if I were to die here, by no means I would regret that end. …Let’s go lad!”

Beatrix stepped forward while brandishing Mjolnir.

Kazuki drew the Japanese katana, he received from Prometheus, from its scabbard and met her attack.

The hammer’s direct hit and the katana’s Iai draw clashed.

Vast magic powers were clashing, those magic power waves distorted ‘gunyari’ the surrounding space.

“A low grade weapon that is only the embodiment of a human’s soul―no way it could go against [Thor’s Hammer]!”

An instant, Kazuki could feel the other side’s pressure exceeded him. However―

“Inside me, my father’s…human’s technique exists!”

Toward the other side’s pressure that slightly exceeded him, Kazuki controlled his katana's blade delicately and redirected it. Beatrix hit empty air and gouged a huge crater in the shopping arcade.

Kazuki’s Instant Positioning destroyed Beatrix’s posture.

However, before Kazuki could slash his blade a second time, she fixed her posture forcibly by the usage of reinforcement magic. Thereafter, from the position of fifty-fifty, the katana and hammer collided.

“…So it’s even!” Beatrix raised a voice dyed in delight.

Along with the tremendous energy Mjolnir produced, Prometheus’ magic katana also amplified Kazuki’s magic power dozens of times and resisted back.

Kazuki was redirecting and as Beatrix retaliated with brute force, technique and strength met for the second times, third times, clashing against each other.

Kazuki looked for the instant where his opponent would show an opening, while Beatrix used herculean strength to press Kazuki.

That moment of offense and defense―

“Kuh!” Kazuki couldn’t redirect Beatrix’s pressure, and his posture staggered.

“Got you!”

Without overlooking that opening, Beatrix let Mjolnir loose toward Kazuki’s flesh body.

―Just exactly according to Kazuki’s invitation.

“…Oh immortal bird who soar from dusk till dawn, bestow those wings of hope on my back! Destruction for the sake of rebirth right here! Blazing Wings!”

From the posture where he couldn’t possibly do something like retaliation, Kazuki created wings on his back and flew.

Beatrix’s single attack with her whole strength was caught by surprise perfectly and hit the empty air.

“The bonds that I have, is not only one!”

Immediately following the level 10 magic, he chanted the level 5 magic while holding his consciousness which was currently in a precarious state. Kazuki shouted like he was cheering himself .

“UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

“Multiple type summoning magic!? Lad, don’t tell me…you bastard is this country’s <King>!?”

Light was emitted from the sword that was slashed diagonally, starting from Beatrix’s shoulder.

The Japanese katana that was the personification of Kazuki’s soul didn’t cut Beatrix’s flesh, it only destroyed her magic power and Beatrix fell into magic intoxication. She fell down like a doll with her string cut.

The wings of flame vanished scattering grains of light, the Japanese katana that was blessed with Prometheus’ divine protection returned back to Raikiri. While making sure of Beatrix’s defeat, Kazuki felt an intense mental fatigue, he fell to his knee while landing in that place.

Lotte approached that Kazuki’s back and hugged him tightly.

Wordlessly, Lotte leaked out sobbing voices.

“…You understood right? There is no need for you to feel any kind of uneasiness anymore.”

Toward those words that Kazuki squeezed out, Lotte replied with “Thank you so much.”

“…What should I do, the hollow me who came to this country…Onii-chan had became everything inside this hollow me already.”

While crying, she told Kazuki while blushing.

Mio walked near the two people.

“Kazuki…what in the world is your ability?”

Chapter 6 – Raid Night

Part 1

A staff meeting was abruptly called.

“The report that Beatrix was defeated by Hayashizaki Kazuki’s hand has come in.”

Headmaster Otonashi informed the Magic Division’s staff that had gathered.

“Beatrix’s life is not in a life threatening condition, but it seems she has fallen into magic intoxication. A request from Hayashizaki’s party had reached the Knight Order to recover Beatrix. …When the Einherjars were notified, they demanded an explanation from us as to what had happened. Why did our students become an obstacle to them?”

With this information, Headmaster Otonashi explained why he called for this special staff meeting.

Liz Liza had never thought that he would especially call for a meeting like this.

“The students protected Lotte on their own accord in an unfortunate accident, there is no other way other than telling them that right?”

It was not delightful news for Germany, but in this matter that couldn’t be helped.

[Unfortunate accident didn’t happen.]

It was not a story where they could take responsibility. It was not an unfortunate accident in the first place.

However, Headmaster Otonashi shook his head slowly while pushing his forehead with his index finger.

“It would end with that explanation if it were students. There won’t be any kind of responsibility for us. If it were students, we would spend all of the power available to us to protect them. But in this current situation, the problem was that the illegal magician entrusted to our academy brought about harm to the knight of Einherjar, who then abducted the personage of Charlotte Leibenfrau. It was an illegal magician who did this.”

Liz Liza’s complexion changed. By no means, was it Hayashizaki Kazuki who he referred to as an illegal magician?

“…Regarding the unidentified Diva that Hayashizaki Kazuki is contracted with, the risk is supposed to be minimal. He is a student that we should protect. By no means is he an illegal magician or such…”

It was true that Hayashizaki Kazuki had a contract with a different Diva than Solomon 72 Pillar…he was an illegal magician in the eyes of the law. However, the matter developed where they couldn’t carelessly meddle with him.

This is because Lemegeton introduced herself as the Demon King who supervised Solomon 72 Pillar.

“If he is a harmless existence, we could watch him as long as we like, but he defeated the ace of the Einherjar. This couldn’t be considered an easy-going matter anymore.”

The conference room stirred with voices of confusion towards Headmaster Otonashi’s words.

But to consider him a danger because he was powerful enough to defeat Beatrix―no matter how they looked at it, the impression that the decision was over-rushed didn’t change. Hayashizaki Kazuki couldn’t be said to be an honor student, he was just a normal student. There wasn’t supposed to be any reason to doubt him that much.

“What tomfoolery is this. How can you reach that kind of conclusion? There isn’t even enough material to doubt him.”

“…A report came in that the other day, at the quest that Hayashizaki Kazuki’s party undertook, he illegally picked up a Sacred Treasure. The knights that happened to be present at that time, demanded him to hand over the Sacred Treasure but he resisted, the knights even ended up injured.”

“Illegal possession of Sacred Treasure…? Resisting…? How stupid, there is no way Hayashizaki Kazuki would…”

“The emotion to want to believe the pupil you are in charge of is very noble isn’t it?”

Headmaster Otonashi returned her words with a mocking tone.

That brief comment had controlled the atmosphere of the conference room with the exception of Liz Liza. The other teachers, who despite the fact that Hayazhizaki Kazuki had amassed the image of a normal student that could be trusted, became scared when they imagined his hidden side.

How foolish…. No, in the first place why were the knights dispatched to a quest with such low level of difficulty?

Right now, weren’t all the knights in the metropolis grouped into Loki’s subjugation teams?

What in the world was this unnaturalness?

Impossible. Such things weren’t supposed to be done to Hayashizaki Kazuki and Lemegeton. Was there any schemer behind the scene…? Could it be…someone with bottomless ill will toward a person who introduced himself as King!?

“Including the matter of [repulsing Beatrix’s attack], the Knight Order demanded this academy to take responsibility. The students took action on their own accord…we couldn’t say that anymore. We have to apprehend Hayashizaki Kazuki and Charlotte, and hand over Charlotte’s personage to Germany. After that, we are going to apply temporary sealing measures to Hayashizaki Kazuki and banish him to the Sword Division.”

The situation had automatically progressed to the worst point.

―The conclusion moved in the direction where Hayashizaki Kazuki and Lotte couldn’t be saved anymore.

“…Lemegeton is a Diva that is possibly connected to Solomon 72 Pillar. If we meddle unskillfully to that contract connection, there would be concern of the deterioration of our relation with Solomon 72 Pillar.”

Headmaster Otonashi’s expression changed for the first time after he heard what Liz Liza pointed out, “Fu, fufufu” his shoulders was shaking.

“A 15 year old kid is a King, there is no reason to believe such a stupid talk. The Diva who pretend to be Lemegeton, whispering sweet words to the ear of a 15 year old boy when at that age they tend to dream about stupid things, that this boy could become a king. This is just a stupid trick. …But for the moment, we still have some allowance to wait and see. That’s why, now when it’s still an internal problem of this academy, we can deal with this without much fuss by banishing the problem to the Sword Division. After that, we could perform the <Stigmata Transplanting Operation> slowly to transfer the stigmata into a more reliable person than Hayashizaki Kazuki, we could investigate the true identity of that Diva better.”

Stigmata Transplanting Operation…? But that technique had the risk of breaking down the mind of the person who had their Stigmata taken out. Such inhumane path of research like this should have been discontinued. Because the Stigmata was connected to the mind of the contractor even up to their atomic particles, there was no way to conveniently take out only the Stigmata.

From Liz Liza’s side, board chairman Amasaki started to speak like he was trying to convince himself somewhere deep inside.

“If it’s now, everything could be solved just by banishing Hayashizaki Kazuki to the Sword Division. It’s unfortunate about Charlotte Liebenfrau, but…she is not a student of this academy…”

According to the law, Hayashizaki Kazuki was a criminal. Any objection couldn’t change that.

Liz Liza kept silent. What could she do by herself?

Headmaster Otonashi made the verdict.

“If there is even a little suspicion…that was the agreement right from the beginning. From now, starting immediately, I order the strongest Magica Stigma of the academy―Otonashi Kaguya to take the quest of apprehending Hayashizaki Kazuki and Charlotte Liebenfrau.”

That kind of stupid action…Liz Liza’s mind turned pure white.

Even though Otonashi Kaguya was very affectionate toward Hayashizaki Kazuki.

For such an order to be handed down by Otonashi Kaguya’s own father….

Part 2

“The magic you can use increases along with the rise of the positivity level and when you kiss someone, you’ll be able to use their magic even up to level 10 temporarily for one time…?”

Mio and Lotte were dumbfounded at Kazuki’s explanation.

“But I didn’t kiss Lotte just for the sake of power okay? I did it with proper determination…”

“It’s okay desu, I understand that well desu, Onii-san.”

The girl had the power of telepathy. She understood Kazuki’s real intention.

“Besides, I didn't hate it at all to be kissed…”

Mio’s expression turned disagreeable looking at Lotte whose cheeks were blushing.

“For the sake of protecting Lotte, even kissing her with the determination to keep protecting her…certainly that was, when you have that kind of ability, in that kind of situation there was no other way except to kiss her, but, really, why it must be a kiss…”

Mio moaned “Uuuuu” and pouted.

“Then if I’m the one who is in the same situation, Kazu-nii would also protect me properly right? And, and then Kazu-nii would also…kiss me?”

“Of course I will protect Mio. Now that you mention it…I, I already kissed you, you know?”

“…Eh?”

“Before this, when Loki’s attack hit you, so I could protect Mio…”

“Wait a second! I don’t remember that! I don’t remember that at all!?”

“That was…Mio was already dead at that time.”

Mio pressed her own lips, her face turned red when she thought about the truth that she was already kissed, then her face turned pale white in despair when she realized that matter had all happened when she was not conscious. Her expression alternated between blushing and paling.

“I, I remember seeing a dream of being kissed, but…that was…that had actually happened…? But, but that’s bad, I won’t consent with that!! I also want to do it properly, if Kazu-nii said that you will protect me, then I want you to swear it once again right now right here !”

“But right here…that’s…”

Seeing Kazuki who shrinked back, Lotte spouted out “Puh”.

“That’s right Onii-san…It doesn't count if you gave your oath when the person concerned was not conscious desu.”

Lotte said something to support Mio.

Mio demanded again while glaring at Kazuki with resentful eyes.

“Right now in this place…I want you to kiss me. If you don’t do it, then I won’t believe whatever Kazu-nii is saying about how you consider me as a special person. …I mean, if you had already done it once then it’s not a big deal to do it again right!?”

Kiss Mio once more…. That was a deep and significant action that he wouldn't be able to take back again. It had already reached the point where any excuses wouldn't be heard anymore….

But even so, right now, it was not only the demand from Mio that pushed Kazuki, Mio’s lips had the magic power to fascinate Kazuki’s heart.

“Onii-san…I don’t mind desu. I will believe Onii-san no matter what happens, so I’m satisfied desu.”

Lotte’s word became the feeling that pushed him so, Kazuki took Mio’s chin with his hand. Mio trembled in surprise and closed her eyes.

Kazuki resolved himself and kissed Mio. It was a soft and warm sensation incomparable with anything he ever experienced until now. When their lips separated, Mio stared at Kazuki dazedly, then finally she laughed “hehehe” when she came back to herself.

“Kazu-niii!”

Then Mio hugged Kazuki happily―after that she also returned the kiss from herself to Kazuki.

“Yo, you, that kiss just now…”

“But you know, Kazu-nii protecting me is not just a one-sided affair. Because I’ll also protect Kazu-nii! That’s why…I will also swear with this kiss…”

A heart mark floated from Mio. When she felt satisfied, she gently separated their body from each other.

“Then I will also protect Kazuki-oniisan with my all!”

In the next moment Lotte stretched herself to Kazuki and kissed him.

Wa, wait a minute, what is this situation!? How could it be in this short time he had already received so many kisses from two girls…! This kind of thing is completely like…!

{Kazuki…you are, right in this moment, showing off your real face as the harem King!}

Mio hugged Kazuki’s right arm with a pouting face. Thereupon Lotte hugged Kazuki’s left arm. Both of their positivity level floated in front of Kazuki’s eyes.

Amasaki Mio―132 Lotte―100

“Well…we are a party that protected each other’s back in the end. …Fo, for now we still couldn't be said as something like lovers.”

“Then I’ll kiss Mio-oneesan too.”

“Eh!? I, I don’t wanna. Even though I had finally kiss with Kazu-nii…Wait, I said wait!”

Lotte played around by chasing Mio who was running away.

“…Even so, the Knight Order hasn't come yet huh.”

Kazuki changed the topic while moving his line of sight to Beatrix who was still faint.

If the Knight Order doesn't come to collect her quickly, they won’t be able to return home to the Witch’s Mansion. When he thought about Beatrix suddenly waking up like a zombie, he felt really uneasy.

They started fighting at 4 o’clock, the evening passed as if it was Ragnarok, and when they noticed, the curtain of the night had already descended. The street lights illuminated the empty arcade.

“The Knight Order won’t come…so we arrived in their place.”

“…Kaguya-senpai? Why are you here?”

The figures who appeared at the entrance of the shopping arcade were Kaguya-senpai in her magic dress and Torazou-senpai. …Did senpai come in place of the Knight Order to collect Beatrix?

“A quest was handed over to me you know, Otouto-kun.”

She talked from the other side of the night. What is this [quest] senpai was talking about? Right now there was no problem at all in this place. The Haunted Ground had been liberated, Beatrix had been defeated….

What kind of quest was handed down to Kaguya-senpai?

In front of the bewildered Kazuki―Torazou-senpai drew his katana and magic power started to be generated from Kaguya-senpai.

“Kazuki…why did you do something like that!? Was my trust to you misplaced!?”

Torazou-senpai…what is he saying!?

“Oh formless and mute shadow, transform into fish that swim in the darkness of delusion! The origin of nightmare, vicissitudes of materialism, answer and swallow the hope and terror…! Darkness of the Bottom of ShadowDeep Specter!”

Kaguya-senpai’s summoning magic―made it really clear―that it targeted Kazuki.

“Senpai! Why!?”

“I’m sorry but…it will be just a little painful.”

At the same time with senpai’s verdict, from the underfoot of Kazuki―a gigantic monster of shadow rose up. Kazuki perceived the flow of the magic power of the monster that was made from lumps of magic power, he Foresighted its movement and he evaded, then he drew out his Iai.

He smashed the shadow monster into small pieces with his slash.

“What, what the hell is this!?”

“…Prophet, Fire!”

Mio fell into panic while watching Kazuki and Kaguya-senpai alternately in distress, Lotte determined the situation quickly and rattled the shadow monster with her gatling gun’s bullets.

However, Torazou-senpai stepped towards Lotte and attacked her. She couldn't stop Torazou-senpai’s charge with her gatling gun. In that interval, Kaguya-senpai finished her chant with astonishing speed.

“My wicked thoughts is filled with curses, I prayed in earnest for thy’s pain…. I feel no shame for my ominous thoughts! The Hatred of Fruitless Flower Feel Pain!”

The magic to inflict hallucination of pain to the opponent!

The bullet of curse flew not to Kazuki but to Lotte.

“Aa, UAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

Hallucination of pain that couldn't even be imagined by the one watching outside was―attacking Lotte until she couldn't keep on her feet, she screamed while her body was shaking all over. Given that chance, Torazou-senpai attempted to pursue her.

“..Barrett!”

Torazou-senpai ate the hastily chanted Barrett by Mio and got blown away.

“Senpai…why!”

Kazuki screamed while feeling the anger because of Lotte’s pain.

“We have to arrest Lotte-chan and…she will die in the hands of Germany. That’s why I must let Lotte-chan escape. I will let you get away. But if you become an obstacle in Otouto-kun’s arrest, I will let you taste a little pain.”

Kaguya-senpai coldly informed Lotte. Lotte who crouched in pain, raised her head sternly even with tears amassing in her eyes.

“No desu! I will also help Onii-san!!”

Kaguya senpai will arrest me…?

“I have to…I have to bear this duty! There is no one else other than me!!”

Kaguya-senpai informed Kazuki with a tormented expression filled with a sense of duty.

{Leme! Is Asmodeus’ magic going to be effective against me too!?}

{A contract is a contract. Since she was contracted, the contracted Diva will lend the power the contractor requested without question regardless of the contractor’s purpose. Though if they use the power granted to them in the most foolish manner, the Solomon 72 Pillar will stop forming contract with any Japanese people.}

A tone of obvious disappointment colored Leme’s voice.

The Solomon 72 Pillar was still in the stage of making sure if there was any worth in cooperating with this country. Now was still nothing more than a [testing] stage.

“Senpai! This is a misunderstanding!! How could this turn into such messed up situation!?”

“Kazuki! …Get arrested obediently! That is the best you can do!!”

Torazou-senpai attacked Kazuki with an enraged yell.

Kazuki redirected the attacking sword with Instant Positioning―there he felt the presence of the shadow monster from his back opening its big mouth.

..Damn! He couldn't avoid it!

Half of Kazuki’s body―its left side was bitten by the monster, Kazuki’s magic power that was exhausted in the fight with Beatrix was smashed.

There was no other way than to make Senpai powerless!

Kazuki turned to senpai and dashed, he drew out his Iai.

“Oi…the current you facing against a magician that could use Asmodeus skillfully…it’s pretty bad news!”

Leme’s warning voice felt so far away. It didn't enter his mind.

“Without hesitation of getting hurt myself when cursing thy…the mutual pain is my pleasure! Cry and scream in the mirror reflection! Jet Black Self MutilationSuicide Black!”

The moment Kazuki cut Kaguya-senpai, Kaguya-senpai’s body was covered with black mist―a defense magic of some kind. The moment the tip of the sword gouged the inside of the black mist, a burning pain ran through Kazuki’s chest up to his whole body. The pain felt like his own body was cut up by a katana!

“GUAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

He was cut!? When he looked down on his own body, there was not a single wound happened.

…Phantom pain? The damage was zero, however this defense magic was…a defense magic that reflected only the pain as it was to the opponent!?

In the pause when Kazuki was stopped by the pain, Kaguya-senpai slid away and chanted more spells. Fast chant. Kazuki tried to chase her, but Torazou-senpai forced his way through between them.

“Barrett!”

Mio’s Barrett blew away Torazou-senpai once again. However because of Torazou-senpai’s obstruction, Kazuki couldn’t reach Kaguya-senpai―her summoning magic was already invoked.

“Oh the whisper of the god of death that awaited the visitor impatiently, echo widely and deeply, dyed the whole dream with pain! The evil sound of sadism resounded! Double Sense of PainUltra Violence!!”

The moment that magic was invoked, something like a sound wave was produced from Kaguya-senpai, a siren-like voice was echoing inside Kazuki’s head.

That voice doubled the [pain] Kazuki is experiencing.

“―!!”

He raised a scream where even the voice couldn't come out, it was not only Kazuki that was feeling the pain of being shredded from [Suicide Black], Lotte who was attacked with illusionary pain from [Feel Pain] also suffered and writhed on the ground.

So senpai was…specializing in this kind of magic…!

“…Kazuki-oniisan…! TranceSeize your own mind using telepathy, this pain could be reduced by tightening your wall of heart!”

Lotte shouted such to Kazuki even while bearing her own suffering.

However…Kazuki didn’t excel in telepathy to the level of Lotte. It was a field that he was rather poor at.

“The desire lurking inside the sea of the heart, stretch that hand pass the sinful flesh! Oh avatar of violation, entangle your desire! Desire Tentacles!”

The ground was ripped by Kaguya-senpai’s magic, gigantic tentacles rose up from the inside. The tentacles bounded the hands and feet of the bewildered Mio, Lotte and Kazuki who were writhing in pain. Senpai chanted a spell further while staring coldly at Kazuki and the others who couldn't move anymore.

This was senpai’s…the Nightmare Bringer’s fighting style….

If they, who couldn't release themselves quickly from this tentacles, received the brutal high level Summoning Magic from Kaguya Senpai like the sure kill magic, [Hell Imaginary }FireGernica]…!

“The five star that shine in the interstice of life and death, spin, spin, pillaged by the whim of the god of death, turn into a silent miserable clay doll! …Great Circle of Neighboring DeathNear Death Roulette!!”

The magic that was invoked in the end of the long chant was not an attack magic.

Weapon creation magic―In both of Kaguya-senpai’s hands, she held a scythe with blade spreading to both sides.

But that was not supposed to be a normal scythe!

Kaguya-senpai drew near unnoticed like a god of death, she cut Lotte and Mio with a rotation of the scythe. The second they were cut―changes happened to both of them.

“What, what is this!? The body’s sense, this is like anaesthesia…!”

“!? My eyes cannot see! Kazuki-oniisan!! Where are you!?”

Mio and Lotte screamed because of the mysterious effects.

Kaguya-senpai also pointed the scythe to Kazuki.

“Self Burning!”

Just barely in time, Kazuki burned away the tentacles that bind him with the flame armor that covered his body.

…But his magic power was dried up using this level 3 magic, his consciousness blurred and almost got carried to Astrum.

Kazuki barely stopped it at his limit, he then cut away the tentacles that tied up Mio and Lotte.

However, Lotte's eyes couldn't see anything anymore, she was already in a condition that was unfit to continue fighting. Mio too, her body was wrapped with a sense of discomfort.

“The thing that was stolen from Mio-chan was her sense of touch. Only that much won’t stop her resistance, so I will keep cutting her until she can’t fight anymore…!”

Kaguya-senpai cut Mio with scythe even further.

“Kazu-nii…I can’t see anything…I can't feel…!”

This time Mio’s sight was also locked inside the darkness, she cowered down in fright.

“STOP!”

“Ototou-kun…this scythe will rob one of human’s five senses randomly with each strike, the sixth strike will disconnect their magic power. Even if Otouto-kun is the opponent, if I have the resolution to hit you at the cost of getting hit myself, won’t this scythe reach you?”

Kaguya-senpai explained her ability intentionally like she was trying to threaten Kazuki.

There was no mistake that her word was filled with implication to restrain him. That scythe and the black mist was senpai’s deterrence against close-quarter combat.

But there would be no chance of victory against senpai if he tried to trade Summoning Magic from long distance, so…the only way left for survival lies in close-quarter combat!

Kazuki stepped into Kaguya-senpai’s range with all his strength and slashed his katana. Kaguya-senpai didn’t even attempt to dodge and received the attack stoically like a scarecrow. His hand confirmed the feedback of the smashed magic on her.

But similar with Beatrix, senpai also reduced the damage by controlling her magic power.

―And then separated from that, the pain was reflected back to Kazuki.

“GUUUUU!”

Without a moment’s delay, the scythe that senpai boasted with would be able to hit him as long she was resolved to receive hit on her own self, swung at Kazuki.

Kazuki was barely able to Foresight the trajectory of the scythe. While his head felt like it was ripped open by the illusionary pain, he managed to evade by tumbling over. Kaguya-senpai looked down with a cold gaze at Kazuki who was rolling on the ground.

“…Ultra Violence.”

The evil sound that doubled the agony reverberated once again, Kazuki escaped from Kaguya-senpai’s close range while feeling like he would go crazy from the agony. With this, he let go the means of survival and the chance to discover the opportunity, from his own hand.

“…I want to play around more with Otouto-kun, raising the positivity level higher, then when you become even stronger I want to fight you. Since defeating Hikaru-chan, it has been a long time that someone appeared that could become my rival…yet why did it end up like this?”

Kaguya-senpai approached slowly with the scythe in one hand like a god of death.

If he was cut by that scythe…its over.

“…Stop the approach of resentful enemy, hasten the step of the chosen one…. Oh divine protection of mermaid, grant me the blade to dance on the ice! Moves in the Field!”

Suddenly a cool and clear voice like transparent ice rang out.

The magic that was invoked―froze Kaguya-senpai’s step, her move was sealed.

And then Koyuki who came sliding in the ground picked up Lotte, who had fallen to the state unfit for battle.

“Kazuki, please pick up Amasaki-san!”

When Koyuki shouted that, ice boots fixed with ice edge similar with Koyuki also generated at Kazuki’s feet.

“…Hiakari-san!? You come to help us!?”

“Kazuki, let’s escape! …We absolutely cannot win against this person!!”

Koyuki dashed to the entrance of the shopping mall, nimbly like an ice-skater, from Kaguya-senpai and Torazou-san who couldn’t run easily on top of the ice.

Kazuki asked her while following along.

“What in the world is going on?”

“There is suspicion regarding Kazuki’s action in the quest, so it was decided that you will be treated as an illegal magician. Because doubt has arisen once more toward your unidentified Diva…a transplanting operation will be conducted to your stigmata, then you will be transferred to the Sword Division where your progress will be observed for a while. Kaguya-senpai was handed the quest for that.”

The stigmata would be removed…! Does that mean the contract with Leme would be snatched away!?

“However rather than a transfer to the Sword Division, Kaguya-senpai just came suddenly and attacked us.”

Even though if she just said to them upfront that this is the academy’s decision…Kazuki could have consented peacefully from the beginning.

“The quest that was handed to Kaguya-senpai is to [arrest Hayashizaki Kazuki and Charlotte].”

“!”

..To catch Lotte and hand her over to Germany means that her life would be in danger.

“That’s why Kaguya-senpai probably thought to report something like this, [because of Hayashizaki Kazuki’s resistance, Hayashizaki Kazuki was arrested but Charlotte had escaped]. That was why she suddenly attacked Kazuki to make you resist. That’s the script that senpai chased after.”

“Koyuki-chan…as I thought, you had eavesdropped the quest that I received. But I never thought that Koyuki-chan of all people will do something this reckless….”

Even though she was supposed to be unable to chase them because of the frozen surface―but Kaguya-senpai’s voice came from their back.

“Even though I intended to finish this without pulling over Hikaru-chan and Koyuki-chan and Kana-chan.”

When they looked over their shoulders to the voice that was dyed with fierce determination, Kaguya-senpai and Torazou-san were riding on top of tentacles and came chasing them. From the tip of the tentacle that had stretched to their limit on top of the ice, Kaguya-senpai immediately chanted [Desire Tentacles], and then she leaped to the next tentacles that grew out from the ice-covered surface, this chase looked like a baton relay.

“After all isn't this the best solution? If we take care of it as an internal problem of the academy, everything will end with just Otouto-kun losing his stigmata and transferring to the Sword Division! If I don’t do this…Otouto-kun will really be treated as a criminal!!”

But if they were caught like this―Lotte would be alone once more!

It would also affect the decision of the Solomon 72 Pillar that was evaluating Japan!

However even if they kept running like this with Hiakari-san…where in the world were they going to run?

“I refuse! There should be some other solution than this…Ice Buster!”

While sliding, Koyuki invoked Vepar’s level 6 magic.

The ice mountain directly hit the tentacles that Kaguya-senpai was riding in to pursue Kazuki and the others fiercely. There was no mercy. All those pain―was reflected back to Koyuki.

“Kuu…! …I refuse…I already, don’t want to part with…! Even if everyone betrayed me…even though I’m a monster, I won’t start the betrayal from my own side!!”

Even while enduring the pain, Koyuki kept crashing the ice mountains one after another to Kaguya-senpai.

“…Koyuki-chan…if you cherished Otouto-kun that much…it would be nice if you had become honest earlier. Running away aimlessly, struggling unsightly in the ground...isn’t Koyuki-chan supposed to hate things like that the most?”

Kaguya-senpai’s voice could be heard from the other side of the black mist and the defensive magic power.

“Senpai as well…weren't you crying when you received the quest from the phone! Don’t just act composed by yourself!!”

Kaguya-senpai’s expression that appeared from the other side of the black mist was distorted in sorrow.

“…Ultra Violence!”

“aAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”

Koyuki who couldn't maintain her skating was tumbling over on the ice surface. Lotte too was dropped from her arm and tumbled around. “Hiakari-san!” Watching that, Kazuki couldn't continue to run away alone and stopped in place.

Kaguya-senpai who was struck by all the ice mountain approached them leisurely while riding on the tentacles.

“I am not that naïve you know? The sweet dream is already over. Otouto-kun, give up your game of raising positivity level with that Diva.”

…Although I also want to be captured by you.

Such a small whisper was carried in by the night breeze and could be heard faintly.

{Isn't this quite a terrible situation, don’t make such pitiful face hey, Kaguya. Because of the contract, I’ll lend you power if you ask for it, but…you know that your desire won’t come true with this kind of conclusion, isn't that right?}

Suddenly Asmodeus materialized in Kaguya-senpai’s side even without getting called.

“Be silent. …The truth is I’m always not in the position of needing any desire.”

{Hee, is this what you call human?} Asmodeus’ form vanished leaving behind a spitting voice.

“Sorry…Otouto-kun.”

“Wait, you evil Magica Stigma! As long as this one exist, one’s self won’t permit this kind of atrocity!!”

…A voice that was totally unable read the atmosphere at all.

From the back alley of the arcade, the figure of an unexpected character appeared.

“…Kohaku? Hikita Kohaku!? How can you be here with this timing!?”

“Kazuki…this one come to save you! Torazou over there, don’t make any suspicious moves!!”

“Kohaku…you bastard!” Torazou-senpai shouted angrily.

“…Who are you? I won’t go easy on an unknown person making fun of this and being a hindrance just so you know.”

In front of Kaguya-senpai who was angry at Kohaku’s frivolous manner―Kohaku drew out her katana.

“Drive and fro and lock, <Murasame>! Battoukaikon―Drizzle in White NightKirisame Byakuya!!”

Drip, Drops of water were hanging from the katana in Kohaku’s hand. Immediately after, that water spread on the whole surface of the surroundings in the blink of eye, transforming into thick mist.

Sacred Treasure!? …Could it be that the seven katana Kohaku owned, all of them!”

Soon he couldn't see Kaguya-senpai’s surprised expression anymore behind the thick mist. Kohaku pulled Kazuki’s sleeve tightly.

“Come on, let’s run Kazuki! Uwah, this ground is so slippery! Whose deed is this, wawawah!”

“Hiakari-san, give her the ice boots too!”

“…Who, who is this person?”

Koyuki who recovered from the agony formed the ice boots for Kohaku too.

“Muu…this is …fun!”

Kohaku said so without any hint of nervousness.

With the enthusiastic Kohaku at the lead, Kazuki and the others were sliding with the skating boots. They were following the roads winding left and right in the back shopping mall to conceal their whereabouts from Kaguya-senpai, and went to escape.

“However…where could we escape to?”

“That is of course…to this one’s Sword Division!”

“Otouto-kun…”

Alone inside the cloudy mist, when she felt that there was no one looking at her,

Kaguya kept standing stock still in that place, and cried while leaking sobbing voices.

Intermission – The Qualification of King

“Kazu-nii…!? You are there right, you have to be there…!?”

Mio who was lying down on the futon was anxiously calling Kazuki. There was nothing reflected on her eyes, she reached her hand searching for Kazuki, but even that hand couldn’t feel anything.

“It’s fine, I won’t go anywhere.”

But her hearing was still fine, Kazuki talked to reassure her so she could take a short rest. At their side, Lotte was also lying down.

“Are we going to be like this for a long time?”

…Lotte’s condition was also the same. Because of Kaguya-senpai’s sense-stealing scythe…

“No, I don’t think that magic is that brutal. You should recover after a while.”

Kazuki moved his sight to another futon. Over there was Koyuki who lost consciousness because of magic intoxication.

The girl created ice boots for several people’s use, and continued to chant the Moves in the Field until the very last minute. In the end, she fainted after finishing with their dramatic escape.

She forced her body and went that far just to help Kazuki.

“I’m sorry. Right now there is no empty room in this dormitory other than this one. The student dormitory in the Magic Division has the standard of one person per room, but the standard in the Sword Division is room sharing. It’s cramped but please bear with it.”

Kohaku apologized while leaning on the wall of the Japanese-style room. But Kazuki was the one who was grateful.

At least there was no other way to protect Lotte than this.

“…Kohaku, why did you help us?”

“Liz Liza-sensei from the Magic Division, she contacted this one’s teacher in the Sword Division…to Tsukahara-sensei.”

Tsukahara-sensei…that glasses teacher wasn’t it?

“When they were still in active duty, Tsukahara-sensei and Liz Liza-sensei’s relationship were as partners in the Heaven and Earth Formation. She couldn’t do anything to help from her position in the Magic Division, so we in the Sword Division received contact from her if we could do anything to help.”

“Liz Liza-sensei was…”

Is that so, not everyone around us had become enemies.

“…It’s a happy event for me to be able to do her a favor. And then I am also able to be responsible for all of you too.”

The door to the room opened―the figure of the person in question, Tsukahara-sensei appeared .

To be responsible for all of us was…a happy thing?

“Fufufu, we are not just helping you free of charge. We will also make use of this at the same time.”

Kohaku made a daring expression while grinning broadly.

“Due to the Magic Division’s scheme, the life of the princess, Charlotte Liebenfrau, who is taking refuge in this country had fallen into danger. We from the Sword Division sheltered Her Highness, and then turned the table on the Magic Division’s student council who had come to aim for her life, using our true strength. On top of that, during the Student General Meeting that will be held in the middle of this month, we will announce the well-being of Charlotte. With that, we will explain that justice and strength are on our side! We are going to increase the distrust for the Magic Division inside the academy, and place the Sword Division in the controlling position for the Knight Academy…the time of revolution has arrived!”

In front of the dumbfounded Kazuki, Kohaku let her speech out while raising her fist.

That kind of absurdity…. However, it certainly might be true that there was no other way to save Lotte other than to announce her well-being to everyone.

But to use that for her ambition to raise the position of the Sword Division to above that of the Magic Division?

“If this one is being honest, this one want Kazuki to give his cooperation too. But thinking about the feelings of Kazuki, who had been in the Magic Division until now, that kind of thing seems impossible. That’s why Kazuki will be confined inside this room for a while, and this one wants you to watch attentively our revolution when the time comes.”

“…Hey wait, do you plan to win against the student council of the Magic Division with just you guys alone?”

Against his better judgment, Kazuki asked. Kohaku laughed with a grin and hit the katana that was fixed on her hips.

“The Sacred Treasures that this one owns are the heirloom of the Hikita family for generations. However, our other comrades are also being equipped by a large amount of Sacred Treasures that were secretly provided by Tsukahara-sensei. The Sacred Treasures brings out the possibility of the swordsman to its maximum limit so, this is the strongest swordsman party! The likes of the Magica Stigma won’t be able to catch up to us. We have continued to amass power for a long time until now, but…right now is the time for us to stand up with Charlotte as the banner of our great cause! The hated Magic Division will capitulate to the Sword Division, and the position of these two is going to be reversed!”

Beside Kohaku, Tsukahara-sensei too showed a broad grinning expression.

“Liz Liza said that there is an [Unnatural power that trapped you]. But with this fight, we will also be able to remove the rot in the Magic Division. We are going to purge all those filth inside the academy staff that had been clinging to their own interest. Even this country’s treatment regarding the swordsmen, there is going to be a change.”

“We are going to carve out all the persistent stain in the hated Magic Division! Kazuki!, just watch it all obediently, and then please marry me when everything ends. Fuffuffu!”

Both of them left, leaving only those words and exited the room where Kazuki and the others were in.

‘Gachari’ The sound of a locking door rang out. Of course it was a simple matter for Kazuki and the others to use Summoning Magic to destroy a normal door, however…they were going to be noticed immediately.

…What was he supposed to do?

“Ah ah, what an unthinkable situation isn’t it?”

Leme materialized besides Kazuki.

“Everything has gone to hell. Everything lays in pieces! Even though this time, the enemy from the outside has started to bare their fangs here…Magic Division’s student council is hopeless; Magic Division, Sword Division, the whole academy is also hopeless!! Leme is in despair towards these things called humans, don’t you see!?”

Hopeless…. Even though he wholeheartedly thought of the Magic Division’s student council like his own family.

Hiakari-san rescued him. But what was going on with Hoshikaze-senpai?

And then…what would Kanae do? Would she act as a member of Kaguya-senpai’s party?

Would he fight once more with the crying Kaguya-senpai…? Even if he fought, could he win?

But if they follow Kaguya-senpai’s way, Lotte would become the victim. He couldn’t go along with that kind of method.

On the other hand, Kohaku was going to try to challenge the Magic Division to battle, using Lotte as their banner. But Kohaku’s reason was not to save Lotte. …She only wanted the Magic Division’s submission for her revenge.

She was going to inflict a wound that the Magic Division wouldn’t be able to recover from for a second time, in the Students General Meeting.

Could he acknowledge her method?

Could the girl’s action bring the whole academy into one…?

Just like what Leme said, everything was in pieces. In this kind of situation, no matter whose hopeless method he used, someone’s important thing would become a sacrifice inside the conflict.

“Leme…before, you said that the power of the King is the power to <Unite> the scattered pieces as a whole, right?”

When Kazuki calmly asked, Leme gazed at Kazuki with a testing expression.

“Do you plan to do it, my King. Could you show your caliber as a King to us, to Leme, and the whole Solomon 72 Pillar by uniting this hopeless academy? But it’s likely impossible for the current you, you know?”

So it came to whether he himself had the power to achieve that or not.

Even the matter of protecting Lotte, he only succeeded barely by using his trump card.

Even though Leme had pushed him for a long time to create a harem, in response to that, he failed to acquire any power…My power is insufficient. My determination is insufficient.

However, even so…Mio, and Lotte too, I want to protect them.

And then…there are other things that I also want to protect.

There are things I want to protect at any cost….

“Kaguya-senpai, Kohaku too―I will stop all of them. I won’t let anyone become a victim.”

Kazuki gazed at the three who were unconscious. He was not alone. His comrades were standing beside him reliably.

Not only the Magic Division, the Sword Division too, I will bring everything together―

I will put this whole academy together―I will become a King.

I am the Swordsman of the Magic Division.

Afterword

Hello after three months! Mihara Mitsu here. From here on is the afterword huh.

My mistake, this is Mihara Mitsuki. This pen name feels like giving the impression of a girl, so sometime when the other side met me they were pretty surprised.

By the way, it seems my contemporary debut comrade, Iwasaki Ryou-sensei favorite name for a girl is [Mitsuki], because of meeting me , his feeling turn into despair and he would never again named a character in his work as Mitsuki. How pitiful (while picking my nose).

Nonetheless, it’s not really rare for the author of light novel to use a neutral pen name, similarly the name Iwasaki Ryou-sensei also looked like Ayanami Rei (His pen name is not [Rei] but read as [Ryou] though), even my other contemporary Akimoto Aki-sensei, his name written in Kanji is [Akino], it totally feels like the name of a main heroine. Probably like a polite little sister character. Karino Mikata-sensei is called as Mika-tan, even Asano Hajime-sensei’s name of [Hajime] can deviate into boyish girl name. Most likely a woman crossdressing as butler.

Exactly like the 5th MF Bunko J-light novel amateur debut award of the Moe character!

Rei-chan and Hajime-chan often came to Mitsuki-chan and Mika-tan’s house to sleep-over, we were doing pajama party event that was dyed with homo atmosphere.

…In the middle of that, Mikado Tetsurou-sensei’s pen name is distinctively super powerful. Iron Wolf.

In any case, I’m grateful each time you all took the production of this Mitsuki-chan into your hand. The second volume is safely delivered. I’m hoping this work can become a long and fun series, so I beg for all of your support somehow.

Well then, the fun of the light novel series, thanks to the illustration of the artist-san, this time the illustration of Kaguya-senpai’s Magica dress that didn’t appear in the previous volume is introduced. CHuN-san’s illustration too, become a big motivation to pile up the volume of this series.

I’ll move to the gratitude nonchalantly from this flow. This volume too, thanks to the editor in charge Kodama-san’s precise advise, this story had transformed into something that couldn’t possibly be achieved by my own effort. By the way, when I joke around in the drinking party with my fellow contemporary by saying [Koda-nyan], since then all my contemporaries called Kodama-san by Koda-nyan. Please forgive me.

For the convenience of many people, many thing were crossed up to my pen name or to [This book’s author], but the truth was there were really many power at work from many direction so this book could reach the hands of the readers. I’m really thankful from the bottom of my heart for those bonds.

And then, of course the biggest appreciation is for all the reader-sama who picked up this book. I’m very happy if you have fun reading this book.

Yes, then according to the information that has just come in, Magika no Kenshi to Shoukan Maou are going to be co, cocococo, coce-! Comicalized! What an information that’s really full with live feeling, though the details are still unintelligible, but somehow please take care of me!

Mihara Mitsuki

Translator's Notes & References

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